Over Again
by vausesnightmare
Summary: Piper and Alex have both had a very interesting love life to say the least. So when life made them take different paths post prison, it wasn't a surprise to either of them. But, that was until Nicky Nichols ran into Piper in Brooklyn. From there on, Alex and Piper turned into magnets and snapped back together to do this all over again.
1. Introduction

"Piper! Come on!" Her mother yelled.

"I know, I'm coming!" Piper replied.

Today was the anniversary party for her brother Cal and his wife Neri. About seven years they have been together. Piper was extremely happy for the two, but that also meant seven years since Piper left the prison. Also four years since she saw Alex.

Alot has changed since then. Alex broke up with Piper a year before Alex left prison. Piper owned her own restaurant in Brooklyn. She hadn't heard from Alex since the phone call breakup.

Piper shivered at the memory that still haunted her. Usually the blonde would own up to when she was in the wrong, but this time she wasn't. All she was doing was waiting for Alex, weekly visits, daily calls. The woman had zero clue to what made Alex break up with her. It killed her everyday though.

"Piper.." Her mother said calmly in the doorway; seeing her daughter stare at herself in the mirror.

Piper's mother had become very accepting of Alex. She even went to visit her every now and then. But, Piper's father hadn't. He still shunned Piper in the worst way for being with a woman. He had been thrilled when Piper told them about the breakup.

But, Piper's mother was hurting more then anything for her daughter. She saw the pain she went through the first year of the breakup. Sure, the pain was still there. But the first year was worse then anything.

Piper had moved back in with her parents for the year. She was too distraught to live on her own. Cal pushed her into it more then anyone else. He was fearful of his sister's safety. Which he had a right to be.

He was fearful because Piper started to talk how she should somehow get back in prison to see Alex or how she should just give up on life together. The blonde meant it when she said Alex was the love of her life, living without her had been hard.

"Yeah mom?" Piper turned to look at her mother.

"You don't have to go today-"

"It's Cal and Neri. I'm going" Piper said.

"I know, but it just always make you sad each anniversary party" Her mother pointed out.

"I'm alright" Piper lied. "But, I have one question"

"Yes?"

"Who in their right mind's would have a party each year for their anniversary?" Piper asked causing her mother to chuckle.

"Only your brother, now let's go before we are late" She said and walked out.

Piper took one more look at herself in the mirror before taking in a deep breath; then exhaling it. She started to prep talk herself to not think how long it's been without Alex. This is a happy occasion. With one last look, she quickly grabbed her purse and followed her mother out.

"How about this?" Nicky walked up to the balcony; pointing to her outfit.

She was wearing a black pantsuit with black heels. Her hair was a little more tame then it usually was. The usually insane hair woman was going for a job interview. Nicky had recently just gotten out of prison and moved in with her roomate, Alex Vause.

"Too classy?" Nicky added.

"No, I think it's fine" Alex said; shutting her book and placing it on the table.

"Are you lying?" She asked.

"No, you're gonna get this job Nicky" Alex reassured her.

"Hopefully, what's your plans for today?" She sat on the metal outdoor chair across the table from the woman.

"Well," Alex began. "I don't have work until this weekend because the bar and being worked on. So I guess I'll just sit here and read" She shrugged.

"Or, hear me out" Nicky began. "You get off your fucking ass and find Chapman huh?" She smiled.

"I can't-"

"Why? You've seen her Facebook. It says she lives in Brooklyn and guess where you live? Brooklyn! It's meant to be!" Nicky yelled.

"Nichols, I can't" Alex just raised her glasses so the rested on top of her head. "I broke up with her-"

"Yeah because you thought Badison was about to get you life, but she didn't!"

"Yeah well, I was paranoid as fuck and took it too far. I don't blame her not wanting to see me" Alex shook her head.

"Times have changed. It's been four years, Vause. Instead of moping around like a mop, get off your ass and find her" She said and looked at her phone. "Shit, I need to go before I'm late. Do something productive today!" She yelled before starting to walk away.

"Good luck! Do not try to pick up any chicks!" Alex yelled.

"I'll try!" She yelled back before leaving.

Alex took a deep breath before putting her glasses back down to sit on her nose. She looked at the city spread out in front of her. Piper was somewhere in this city. She didn't have Alex blocked on any social media. So it's not like Alex just couldn't send her a message.

She picked her phone up; unlocking it before going over to Facebook. She typed in those two words and instantly was welcoming to a profile photo of Piper drinking coffee while laughing. It warmed her heart to see the face she adored so much.

Her thumb clicked on it and was welcomed to the full profile. Her cover photo was of her and Cal acting like they were scared standing next to a statue of a dead zombie. Her bio just said

"Life comes in moments, I don't even know what that means"

Alex smiled at the memory of that. The only word missing from it was the nickname only Piper called her being 'Al'. She had said it at their surprise prison wedding where Alex had her vows ready, but Piper had no idea they were even getting married.

Below that was the button to add her as a friend, follow her, or message her. Her thumb hovered over the add friend, debating if she wanted to go that far. Piper probably hated her to no end. Her anxiety spiked and instead she just locked her phone quickly; before picking her book back up.

She would eventually contact Piper. Some day, some how, she knew she would see that blonde again.


	2. Subway Shockers

Piper was standing on the crowded subway. Her hand gripping onto a pole for dear life as the subway took sharp turns, left to right. Her other hand was gripping at her phone; thumb scrolling through her Twitter. Yet, she was barely paying attention.

Her mind was elsewhere as she rode into Brooklyn. Alex should be out of prison by now. It wouldn't hurt to look for her. Then again, Piper didn't want to look for her. She feared Alex had moved on with someone else. Maybe she found the woman she was meant to be with.

The woman's thoughts were abruptly cut off as the subway came to a stop. Her head looked up noticing this was her stop. A inhale of air entered the woman's lungs as her feet carried her quickly through the crowd to get out. She let the inhale out once she got out of the subway; knowing that she was good to take it slow from there.

Her eyes scanned the place seeing some guy by the stairs playing a saxophone. Piper didn't mean to think rude, but he was not good at all or maybe it was just the fact Piper didn't like blues music. She then looked to her left to see another stairway crowded by people.

"Great" She muttered knowing that was the staircase she had to take to get up to her street. Luckily her street was the one above her so she could just walk home.

Piper's feet began moving again towards the crowded staircase. She began to make her way up it slowly; cursing under her breath when people would be slower then a turtle. Her hand gripped the railing knowing that when she first time she didn't; she fell backwards. Luckily that was before prison and Alex was behind her to catch her. But now, Piper was alone and fearful of that.

"Hey!" She heard someone yell, but figured it wasn't for her.

Her head didn't bother to look up or around. Piper just fixed her eyes down at her shoes as they slowly made their way up the stairs.

"Hello!" The voice lingered again.

It sounded a bit familiar to Piper, but she was too lost in the thought of just getting home to her bed where she could mope around until work tomorrow.

"Chapman!"

That one snapped her head up to look around. Nobody had called her Chapman since she was in prison. Not like anyone from prison could be here. As she looked around her feet carried her up the rest of the stairs that were finally free to rush up. She got to the first floor and completely did a 180 to scan the place.

She scanned the place to find a hand waving like crazy in the crowd back on the main floor of the subway station. Piper's eyes lowered down to see a smiling redhead. The blonde gasped quickly; trying to find words. All she could get out was some stuttered, broken words as she pointed at the woman.

"Nicky!" Piper finally yelled and nearly ran down the stairs; almost knocking people down as she ran to the woman.

"Now she notices!" She heard as she shoved people to see the crazy woman she hadn't seen in years.

"Oh my god, Nicky!" Piper sighed of relief as she engulfed the woman in a hug. "You're out! You're here! You're dressed like you're attending a party in the 80's!" Piper said.

"Hey! For your information I had an interview at a bank!" Nicky said and Piper pulled back to give Nicky a weird look.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but a bank? Nicky, have you heard yourself talk?"

Nicky let out a raspy chuckle before speaking. "I know, I know" She held her hand up. "But, I'm grasping at straws here you know?"

"Alright, point taken" Piper nodded. "So where are you living?"

"Here in Brooklyn actually, I just got here last month" Nicky informed. "Come on, let's start getting out of here. It smells like dog piss"

"It does" Piper chuckled as they headed for the stairs. "So of all places, why Brooklyn?"

"Uh, my roommate lives here. Why Brooklyn for you?"

"It's stupid" Piper laughed.

"Oh come on, I miss your blonde ideas. Tell me" She said.

Piper took another sigh before talking. "Alex and I, we lived here for awhile before the whole prison thing. So I figured if I came back, I would be happy or whatever"

"And are you?" Nicky quickly asked.

"I'm just happy I'm not in prison-"

"But are you happy in general?"

"No, I guess not" Piper shook her head. "But, how about you? Are you?"

"I'm out of prison, life is good" Nicky laughed as they started to go up the second set of stairs.

"When was the last time you saw Alex?" Piper asked.

"Alex who?" Nicky played dumb.

"Nicky" Piper sighed.

"Well sorry, it's been awhile Chapman. I haven't driven you insane in so long. Making up for lost time" Nicky laughed. "You mean Vause?"

"No shit" Piper relayed back.

"She's living" Nicky replied.

"Is she still in prison or out?"

"She's been out for a couple years now.." Nicky continued talking, but Piper tuned out.

She had been out for years and didn't even bother finding Piper. Piper couldn't believe it. Maybe Alex really did move on away from the idea of them. She started to wonder if prison was even real. Well, it had to be because her friend from prison was talking right next to her.

"Alright! Well, I need to get back to the book reading, moping woman" Nicky said. "I'll add you tonight on Facebook" She said as they walked out the door and onto the street.

"Alright, it was great seeing you Nicky. I'll see you soon" Piper said and hugged the woman again.

"You too, Chapman. Be good!" She said before walking the opposite direction.

"I'm home!" Nicky yelled as she walked in the door. "Oh wait, this isn't prison!" She laughed hearing a husky laugh in the kitchen.

"You make that joke more times then you've ever had sex" Alex relayed back.

"Hey, it's funny" Nicky said as she entered the kitchen to the smell of dinner. "What in the hell are you making?"

"This lasagna my mom used to make. I've been trying to nail it" Alex replied.

"Have you always been this much of a cook? Because you could've made me some food back at Litchfield" Nicky teased.

"Ha ha, funny" Alex rolled her eyes. "But no, I'm just trying now. Might as well pick up something either then bar tending" She said.

"Well as sad as I am to miss out on your my life is shit speech, I saw someone at the subway station on my way home!" Nicky grinned as she sat down at the island kitchen table; across from the taller woman.

"Was it the straight girl from downstairs you've been trying to hook up with?" Alex asked.

"Sadly no, and she's not straight-"

"She has a boyfriend" Alex laughed.

"Doesn't mean shit" Nicky relayed. "Anyway, saw your lesbian Piper"

Alex froze as she was in the middle of doing dishes. Her hands just froze; clenching onto the sponge and plate. The water kept running as Alex just was staring down at the black plate. Her mind began to race. Piper was in Brooklyn. Nicky saw her with her own eyes. It wasn't just a Facebook myth. It was real.

The woman began to hear Piper talk in her head. She imagined the way Piper's lips could curl so perfectly into a smile. The way it felt to have Piper's hand run through her own raven hair. It had been so long since she felt Piper's touch. She could almost imagine the scent of the woman that always brought her home.

"Hey, you alive?" Nicky was snapping her finger causing Alex to jump a bit.

"Yeah, sorry. Zoned out" She mumbled and quickly went back to doing dishes. "Anyway, how is she?"

"A mess" Nicky said truthfully.

"Oh, she didn't just move on?"

"Why would you think-"

"Because she leaves. It's was she does. Piper is scared to be alone-"

"More I think she's scared to be without you, but hell what do I know sense apparently you know all" Nicky laughed.

"What did you talk to her about?" Alex sighed.

"If your question is if I told her I was living with you then the answer is yes, but she was so zoned out I don't even think she heard me. I didn't get a reaction I usually would" Nicky said.

"Fuck" Alex cursed.

"I friended her on Facebook so here's my phone if you would like to stalk her profile sense I know you never messaged her today" Nicky put her phone on the table. "Now, if you'll excuse me. My underwear are riding so far up my ass it's like I am back at those frat parties" She said before walking away to her room.

Alex finished doing dishes and stared at the phone sitting on her island table. She shook her head and just walked over to check on the lasagna in the oven. The woman knew it was wrong to stalk Piper, especially through Nicky's phone. God, she would never hear the end of it.

After checking the lasagna which wasn't ready yet; she turned to see the phone sitting there. It was mocking her it felt like. Not letting her ignore it. She muttered a fuck it before quickly grabbing the phone and going to the Facebook app.

She found the profile pretty quickly and scrolled down to see photos that she had not been able to see before. One was of Piper and Cal, another was of Piper standing in front of the restaurant she owned, a few of them were selfies.

All of the photos never failed to stun Alex. She always thought Piper was the most beautiful woman to exist. Alot of the time people just thought Alex was interested in Piper to have sex with her. Which, no doubt their sex was always amazing. But also, Alex loved Piper for who she was.

Sure, sometimes the blonde could get on her nerves. The way she became an activist about anything in two seconds drove her insane. But at the same time, that was who Piper was. Alex had learned to love that. Also with all the other quirks that made Piper who she was.

Alex couldn't help but miss the way Piper would kiss her good morning or how Piper would cook them eggs for breakfast. Maybe she missed more the way Piper made sure to hold her hand like it was the last thing she ever held. Red had once told Alex when she was doubtful Piper loved her how Piper looked at her.

She had said Piper looked at Alex with hope. She looked at Alex with love and admiration. Hell, it wasn't just the way Piper looked at her. It would be the way she said her name or that nickname 'Al' that drove Alex crazy.

At first growing up some people tried to call Alex, Al. But she hated it. She once punched a kid for even bothering to call her that. Then Piper had one time after they had sex at the hotel room in NYC. From then on, only Piper got to call Alex that.

Alex moved from photos and down to some status's. She read each one in Piper's sweet voice.

"Congrats to my brother and his wife for seven years! I love you both!"

"Thank you to everyone who has helped Pearl's grow over the last year. We have come such a far way with this place. A dream come true, really"

"A kid asked me in the store today why I had a square tattooed on my arm. I just gave him a look and said it's a window. Thanks for this lovely marking"

"I regret my beauty fish, she was right. Love is pain"

Alex couldn't read anymore. She barely even caught that Piper named the restaurant after her own middle name until she re thought about it. Maybe Piper was waiting for Alex. Maybe she didn't move on after all. The smoke alarm cut her thoughts off and her head turned to see smoke coming out of the oven.

"Fuck!" Alex yelled and threw the phone down before getting an oven mit on. She opened the oven and quickly pulled the now burned lasagna out. Smoke was flying off it as she placed it on the oven top; closing the oven door.

The smoke alarm stopped and Alex turned to see Nicky walking in. She was now in her pajamas. A smirk plastered on her face as she grabbed her phone to see the cause of this incident.

"You going to contact her or are we still going to keep burning dinner?" Nicky asked; not giving Alex time to reply to her question. "Pizza is on you tonight, good thing we have them on speed dial" Nicky laughed before walking to the living room.

"Fuck me.." Alex muttered. Piper Chapman was still going to almost the death of her.


	3. Pearl's Sweater

"Come on, I have three tables waiting!" Piper heard her waitress yell as she smacked the window top counter.

"What is the hold up?" Piper walked up to the window seeing her kitchen filled with chaos.

"Sorry Chap! We have an oven down" Zack spoke.

"When we're you going to inform me?" Piper yelled.

"When I wasn't busting my ass in this kitchen, so by the end of the night!" He yelled back.

"It's only ten in the morning we are going to be packed all day, you know there's a concert tonight!" She yelled. "When did you find out-"

"Can we finish this later please? I have two tables backed up!" Another waiter walked up.

"Get your kitchen's ass in gear while I go outside and make a call. I'm gonna see if I can get someone today" Piper said and turned to her waiter and waitress. "You two, how long have they been waiting?"

"About an hour"

"Almost two for me"

"Fuck! Alright, go apologize explain the situation and offer them a free dessert" Piper said.

"On it" They both said and rushed off.

"Get your ass in gear, Zack!" Piper smacked the counter top before starting to walk out.

"On it, Chap!" He used the shortened nickname.

She walked outside and felt the brisk autumn breeze. It was one of their busiest days because some country singer was in town. Everyone always went to Pearl's because the restaurant was by the venue. Piper of course was grateful for it, but at the same time it was stressful.

Piper leaned against the brick wall and pulled her phone out. She clicked on the mechanic's number and put the phone to her ear. A hand running through her hair.

"Hello?" The mechanic asked.

"Hey! Yeah, I have a oven down. I need it fixed. Can you do it today?"

"Uh, I'm pretty packed-"

"Please? I will go on that date you've been wanting me to go on-"

"Are you that desperate?" She heard the woman ask.

"Sadly enough, yes" Piper sighed.

"I would love to go on a date, but I kinda am already seeing this girl. But I guess I'll make an acception to fix your oven today" She said.

"Thank you, Bella. Really" Piper sighed of relief.

"I'll see you later, I gotta go" Bella laughed before hanging up.

"Bye" Piper said and hit end call.

Piper kept her back leaned against the wall. She took in the autumn breeze that was blowing against her face. Her phone was slipped back into her pocket. She started to overthink everything. What if they didn't make it through the day or how this could destroy customer ratings. But then that voice entered her head. It was Alex's.

_"Pipes, you know it'll be alright. You got this, kid"_

She took another deep breath and just nodded to herself. Next door to her restaurant was a small coffee shop. Maybe she should go over, get some coffee, refresh her mind a little bit before going back to work. She barely thought it through before her feet began to wander over there.

Looking down while walking, especially for a clumsy Piper, was never a good idea. She crashed into someone; getting coffee spilled all over her shirt. Luckily it wasn't hot coffee.

"Son of a bitch!" Piper cursed.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry" He said quickly. "Please let me-"

"No, it's fine" Piper said. "Please just, keep walking"

"But I-"

"Just go!" Piper yelled and the guy quickly rushed off.

Piper looked down at her shirt; seeing the coffee stain drenching it. Her eyes shut tight and hands ran through her hair. Curse words were just being muttered over and over under her breath. The day was awful already and it was only ten in the morning.

"That's why I always told you to not look down while walking, kid"

Piper froze in place. That husky voice Piper knew all too well. It had to be her mind playing tricks on her. Then again, no one else called her kid but Alex. Her breathing pattern became rapid. She wanted to look up and see it wasn't her. She knew she had to.

Her eyes slowly opened as she looked over to the outside seating area that sat out front of the coffee shop. Piper looked up and fully saw the dark haired woman sitting at a table. Her glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. The black sweater looked comfier then ever to Piper curving Alex's curves perfectly. A book held between her hands with a coffee next to her. It was Alex. _Her_, _Alex. _

"It would've been nice for the royalties on naming your restaurant after my middle name" Alex smirked.

"What are you doing here?" Piper asked; walking up so she stood across the table from Alex.

"Well from the looks of it I am reading while having coffee. I just like to drink mine instead of wearing it-"

"Fuck you, Alex" Piper cursed.

"You're right, my bad to comment on your new fashion choices" Alex said. "Also it's nice to see you to-"

"Why are you here?" Piper cut her off.

"Nicky told you" Alex chuckled.

"How did you know I saw Nicky?"

"Because I live with her. She moved in with me" Alex said.

"You what?" Piper whispered. "How long-"

"Since I got out. I got a job as a bar tender and I moved here" Alex explained. "Sit, you're not going to want to walk around with a coffee drenched shirt" She gestured.

"Why not?" Piper challenged.

"I know you, Pipes" Alex sighed. "Walking around in a drenched clothing is not your thing" She smirked.

Piper just replied with a sigh. She knew Alex was right. So she pulled the chair out from the table and sat down on it across from the older woman. The blonde just stared at her. She felt so much anger yet relief. Alex was sat across from her. A sight Piper was sure she would never see again.

"You alright?" Alex asked; shutting her book and placing it on the table.

"Shit day" Piper cursed. Usually she could lie and say everything was fine. But, Alex was a person she felt safe enough to rant to. "My headcook decided to not tell me one of our ovens are broken, I've been drenched with coffee, you're sitting across from me, and now I have to go home to get changed"

"Wow, glad I can be apart of your shit day" Alex chuckled.

"Yeah whatever" Piper grumbled and grabbed Alex's coffee. She took a sip from it; making a face.

"You always did that, you know you never like my coffee" Alex said.

"Who drinks it almost black anyway?" Piper placed it back down. "And I was hoping you were back to being 24 and pouring whiskey in your coffee"

"Wow, it isn't even five o'clock yet-"

"Well it is somewhere" Piper cut her off.

Both were silent; just staring at one another to take in the moment. But then Alex spoke up.

"Why did you name it after my middle name?" Alex asked curiously.

"Why does it matter-"

"Because, I should be getting royalties" Alex smirked.

Piper was silent for a bit. She just kept getting lost staring at the beauty across from her. She wanted to be pissed. But this day had been so stressful from the start. All she wanted was to be in Alex's arm's for some relief.

"Pipes.." Alex whispered.

"Because, maybe if I named it after your middle name you would somehow come back and ask me for royalties and I could see you once more" Piper said the run on sentence.

"Guess you were right" Alex softly smirked.

"Shocker there" Piper smirked.

"How's your life?" Alex asked.

"Really? That's what you ask" Piper laughed.

"What? I'm being curious" Alex replied.

"You broke up with me out of no where, move to Brooklyn but never told me-"

"I was under the impression you wouldn't want to see me" Alex snapped.

"Yeah well who said I want to now?" Piper snapped back.

"Because," Alex began. "You are sitting across from me and zoning out staring at me every few minutes"

"Maybe I'm plotting your death"

"If you were you would have killed me years ago" Alex smirked.

"Fuck off" Piper muttered. "You're the one that broke up with me-"

"And I am sorry for that. But, I tried calling you like crazy after it-"

"Oh I'm sorry. I should have picked up and talked to my ex-fíancee after she broke my heart" Piper shrugged. "My bad"

"Like you have room to talk, you broke my heart too" Alex said.

"Yeah, I know" Piper sighed.

"Our track record is shit" Alex chuckled.

"How many times do you think we have said that?" Piper asked.

"Too many to the point we just need a time machine" Alex sighed.

"Once those are real we should just go bankrupt to use it" Piper nodded.

"Want to add credit card fraud to that? We can be prison wives once more" Alex smirked.

"Fuck off" Piper shook her head as she finally pried her eyes off the gorgeous woman. They wandered around before like a magnet, they were pulled right back to Alex. "I hate you"

"Wow, that came out of context" Alex chuckled. "But no, you don't"

"I do-"

"If you did like I said before you wouldn't be sitting here, would you?" Alex asked.

"No," Piper gulped. "But neither would you"

"I never said I hated you" Alex replied calmly.

"Then why did you break up with me?" Piper asked.

Alex took a deep breath. She lifted her glasses so they sat on top of her head. Her legs uncrossed as her position was having her arms on the table; leaning forward a bit.

"I didn't want to-"

"But you did" Piper cut off.

"Badison-"

"You and Badison?! Are you serious, Alex?!" Piper whisper yelled.

"No! God no, that's just, I can't believe you went there!" Alex said. "Who do you think I am? Desperate?"

"Then why are you mentioning her?"

"I'm trying to tell you why I broke up with you" Alex said.

"Well then tell-"

"Stop cutting me off and I could"

"Fine"

"Anyway," Alex ended their quick back and forth. "She was about to get me life and I didn't want you to ever find out I would never get out. So, I figured breaking up with you was better then anything. Let you go and live your life-"

"Oh yeah, living my life has been fucking fantastic if you didn't live inside my head"

"What can I say? It's cozy" Alex smirked.

"Jesus Christ do you think this is a joke?" Piper asked. "I've spent the last year's moping over you-"

"Hey, I did that after you left me when my mom died so I kinda get the 'my life is worse' award on this" Alex snarled.

"How do you know I didn't?"

"Because you left and then years later at Litchfield told me I robbed you of the good life you made after me"

"Well that was a lie-"

"Shocker"

"It wasn't a good life after you! I left you drunken voicemails on your old number. Whoever had your old number got some weird ass voicemails" Piper said and noticed the change in Alex's attitude.

She just sat back in her seat; looking away from Piper. Her fingers were playing with the hem of her sweater as she began to bite her lip.

"What?" Piper asked.

"I had that number the whole time.." Alex mumbled.

"I'm sorry, what?" Piper asked.

"Yeah so, I got those voicemails. Personal favorite was about Larry's ass tattoo-"

"Fuck!" Piper cursed out loud causing someone to glare at her from the table over.

"So you're blaming all of this on me?" Alex went back to the original subject.

"No-"

"But you are-"

"Alex"

"I did that for you don't turn this table on me. I didn't want you waiting for the rest of your life and only seeing you through a fucking glass window. It killed me" Alex said.

"You at least could have told me what was going on" Piper said.

"I was scared shitless alright? I couldn't see your face when I would have to tell you that" Alex admitted. "Not being with you scared the fucking shit out of me, Piper. Alright?"

Piper went silent for a bit. Her thoughts grew wild as she looked into Alex's probably blind eyes sense she didn't have her glasses on. She could tell though Alex was being honest. Even if she was pissed her heart dropped a bit.

"How about now?" Piper asked.

"What?" Alex quickly asked back. Unsure to Piper's meaning.

"Were you only scared then or...now as well?" Piper explained.

"I've told you this before," Alex began. "You're the only woman I've fallen in love with"

Of course there wasn't a strict yes or no reply from the older woman. That was never Alex's forte when it came to discussing how she felt. Words never came easy to her even if they've known and loved one another for more then ten years.

"Why?" Alex asked; cutting Piper's train of thought off.

"I named my restaurant after your middle name," Piper chuckled. "Obviously I still fucking love you"

"That was a bit violent-"

"Yeah because I hate it. It's been over ten years since I met you. The amount of shit you and I have dealt with I should be over you, but I'm not" Piper ranted. "So pardon me if I'm not too particularly chirpy for your liking"

"You've always had such a way with words" Alex smirked.

"Charming" Piper faked a smile before glancing down at her phone. "Shit, the mechanic is on her way. I need to rush home and get changed"

"How far out do you live?"

"Well I have to take the subway-"

"Nonsense, Pipes" Alex said. Piper felt those familiar butterflies swarm her stomach at the nickname. "Before you freak out thinking I'm stripping, I have a long sleeve on under this. You can have my sweater"

"Alex.." Piper began.

"You're not rushing home, it'll take up half of your day" Alex said and quickly removed the black sweater to reveal a black tight long sleeve underneath. "Here" She handed it to Piper who quickly took it.

Piper was holding on to the black warm sweater. Alex's body heat still attached to the sweater; keeping it warm. Her eyes looked over to the other woman who was fixing her black long sleeve. It curved her breasts perfectly into a way that sent Piper into thoughts she shouldn't be thinking.

As Alex was adjusting the long sleeve; Piper lifted the sweater up to her nose. A habit she had grown when they first got together. Piper wore Alex's clothing probably too much. But, she loved the warmth and how it smelled like Alex. Especially when Alex would go away for her job before Piper joined her on her travels.

Her hands clenched the fuzzy clothing piece as she took in the inhale from it thinking Alex wasn't paying attention. But, then she heard that husky chuckle across from her. Piper's eyes shot up to see Alex resting her glasses back on the bridge of her nose.

"Still?" Alex smirked; her arms folded across her chest.

"Shut up" Piper said. Before taking off the shirt that was coffee stained. Luckily she had a tank top under it so she could just change right there.

"Here, give me the coffee stained shirt. I'll bring it back to my place to clean it" Alex held her hand out as she watched Piper pop her head through the sweater. Her arms quickly following suit.

"Alright" Piper nodded and handed over the shirt. "Thank you.." She gave a small smile.

"Just gives me an excuse to get you over to my place" Alex grinned causing Piper's smile to fade.

"Oh you bitch, wait, why wouldn't you do that with the sweater?"

"Well for one you need the shirt clean, two I know I probably won't get that sweater back" Alex explained.

"Oh," Piper just said and then thought about it. The sweater was so big, warm, and just felt like Alex was giving her a hug. "No, you aren't" She added.

"Figured" She chuckled.

"I have to go, get my kitchen staff in order" Piper said.

"I'll message you once your shirt is done. You can come pick it up" Alex smirked as she watched Piper stand up.

"Fuck you" Piper said those two words once more. This time with a softer voice and a small smile.

"With good time my dear" Alex tilted her glasses with a cocky smirk.

"Knowing us probably" Piper just pushed the chair in and grabbed Alex's coffee. She took another sip and made the same face she did before. "How the hell do you drink this shit, Al?"

"I only do so you can try to steal it and make that face" Alex said.

"That's loving" Piper put the cup back down. "Alright, I'll talk to you later. Don't go back to prison"

"Funny! I'll just bring you with me" Alex picked her book back up as she watched Piper start to walk away.

"Shocker there!" Piper yelled as she gave one lingering look to Alex.

Alex was watching Piper for a bit, but she just chuckled before her letting her eyes fall back to her book. The blonde eventually pried her eyes away before walking up to her restaurant door. Her hand gripped the handle and gave one last look to Alex. Alex looked up and met Piper's gaze.

"Go to work, kid" Alex mouthed with a small smirk.

Piper went to walk in. Hell, the door was even starting to open. But her eyes couldn't pry off the beautiful woman she hadn't seen in years. She saw photos and memories. But faces fade in memories over time. So all she really had were old videos and photos of her over the years.

"Fuck this" Piper muttered before letting the door shut and her feet quickly carried her over back to Alex.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked; reshutting her book.

This time Piper didn't stay on her own side. She rounded the table and walked right up to Alex. Her hand cupped Alex's right cheek; quickly connecting their lips together. Alex strained her neck up so her lips could also capture Piper's. It was uncomfortable, yet so worth it.

"Sorry.." Piper muttered before pulling away after a few seconds.

"What got into you?" Alex asked.

"I just," Piper was on the verge of tears. Alex could sense it in her voice. "I really thought you died or were still in prison or..I don't know" Piper said.

Alex quickly stood up and wrapped her arms around Piper's waist. Piper quickly wrapped her arms around Alex's neck; stuffing her face in the woman's shoulder. She felt Alex stuff her own face in Piper's neck. Both of them just held onto each other tight.

Piper in that moment felt all of the stress disappear. Her focus was on the way Alex smelled, how her arms held onto her so tightly, the way Alex was rubbing Piper's lower hip with her thumb. She had missed Alex more then she realized. Which somehow to her felt impossible.

"So much for being pissed at me huh?" Alex chuckled causing Piper to snicker.

"I will always hate this effect you have on me.." Piper admitted.

"I could say the same with you, Pipes.." Alex sighed.

Both of them just held onto each other. Afraid of what could possibly happen if one of them were to let go. People passed by; giving them a weird look. But neither cared in that moment. They had each other once again.


	4. Distractions

"Piper!" The waitress yelled; snapping Piper out of a daze.

"Yeah! What's up?" She asked.

"What is up with you? You're more out of it then anything!" She yelled.

"Nothing" Piper lied.

Alex Vause. Is that a shocker to Piper that she was distracting her mind? Not at all. She never wanted to leave her arms, but eventually she had to so she could get back to her job. Alex had to leave anyway to go grocery shopping before heading home.

It was weird to Piper. How Alex seemed so domesticated which was never the Alex she knew until her last months in prison. She liked it. It made her love a new side to this woman she never lost feelings for.

"Well, I need you to come talk to this table 12. They are requesting you" She said before disappearing into the kitchen. The kitchen door swinging open and shut behind her.

Piper nodded more to tell herself she agreed. Her feet carried her over to where table 12 was. Her eyes narrowed to the woman sitting there. Her hands firmly gripping the menu with her legs crossed. Glasses sat on the bridge of her nose.

She squinted her eyes recognizing this woman, but just couldn't place her. She seemed to look a bit old. Wrinkles were poorly covered by makeup, yet her makeup looked good.

"Hi! You requested to see the owner?" Piper faked a happy voice.

"Cut the happy voice, Chapman" The Russian accent spoke.

"Red?" Piper looked shocked.

"What? I don't look a day over twenty" She smiled. "Sit, talk" She gestured and Piper automatically sat down.

"I thought you would still be upset with me" Piper said.

"I was, for quite sometime. Then I didn't realize you and others would have gotten alot of more time" She put her menu down and folded her hands; resting them on the table. "And of course, looked after many of you like my daughter's. I wouldn't wish that on any of you"

"Thank you.." Piper sighed of relief. "When did you get out?"

"Last week, good behavior luckily. I went to see my husband, gave him a good kick in the ass and found out Nicky is down here. My son's, they don't give a shit about me. But my daughter, Nicky? I know she does" Red rambled on.

"Yeah, she's living with Alex" Piper's lips instantly curved into a smile at the name she just let slip from her lips.

"Good to know" Red nodded. "And good to know you still have a thing with the tall one. Last time I knew she was crying her eyes out in the shower like she killed another man" Red said with her hand gesturing her words; making them seem more powerful with the Russian accent.

"She was?" Piper's smile faded.

"Oh yeah, had to get her out each day before a CO came and took her down to the SHU" Red said.

"Fuck.." Piper sat back in the chair; letting her hair fall into her face.

Alex was crying in the shower when Piper wouldn't even acknowledge her calls or letters. Piper left Alex alone for the rest of her sentence. Then again, how was she to know Alex was like that? Last time she knew the woman broke things off with her. But for good reasoning even if Piper didn't want to admit to it.

"Can I ask you something?" Piper asked.

"Always" Red replied.

"Say someone breaks your trust you had in them. Then they return years later and you're still so mad, yet relieved to see them. Does any of this make sense?" Piper asked.

"The mad yet relieved make sense, but I'm not understanding the question" She replied.

"Should I forgive Alex? For everything?" She asked and Red knew the face Piper made. She didn't bother to give an answer because the blonde went on to keep talking. "I mean, she broke things off with me and always thought I was cheating. Now she's back and I saw her next door. We talked, kissed, hugged. I just, I was so happy yet pissed to see her. I don't know what to do"

"You love her still?" Red asked.

"I thin-"

"How did you feel seeing her for the first time?"

"My day had been so shitty and I got coffee poured on me, then I saw her and it was relief" Piper recalled.

"There's only a few in this world who can make you feel that way. A very good friend, a family member, or the love of your life' Red said those wise words Piper never failed to miss.

Piper fell silent. Her fingers tapped on the table as she rethought it over and over. Her other hand had her fingers playing with the hem of Alex's sweater's sleeve. All she could think at that moment was about Alex.

"Hey Red, can I ask you a favor?" Piper asked.

"Depends" Red replied.

"You still want to run a kitchen?"

"I think I still have it in me why?"

"My headcook is having issues running the kitchen today and I have to leave to go run errands. Can you for today run it?"

"I can run a restaurant with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back still" Red said; standing up. "And I know your errands involve Alex" She added.

"Yeah, figured you would know" Piper said before getting up. "Thank you so much, you can eat here free for now on"

"I expected that anyway" Red said following Piper to the kitchen.

"Why is the lady following you?" The waitress who told Piper to go over asked.

"She's running this place today. I have to go run errands" Piper replied.

"Wait, Piper" The waitress pulled her over in private. "She's fucking scary-"

"That's the point. Trust me, I knew her for awhile. I wouldn't just put a random person in charge of a restaurant if I had no idea who they are" Piper chuckled.

"And I'm supposed to be scary" Red whispered causing the girl to jump. Both Red and Piper let out a chuckle.

"Come on, Red" Piper chuckled before walking into the kitchen. "Alright listen up! I have shit outside of work that needs to be taken care of. So, this is Red. She knows the ins and outs of a restaurant business more then I ever will. So she's in charge for the day. Treat her with respect" Piper yelled out.

"You're kidding?" Her headcook asked. "This old lady?" He laughed.

"Watch it, this old lady can still spin circles around you and steal your job like it is nobodies business" Red said causing the boy to stop laughing and go pale.

"Have fun, thank you Red" Piper grinned before leaving the restaurant.

She stood outside and her eyes instantly looked over to where Alex was, but wasn't anymore. Her heart dropped a bit, but she quickly remembered Facebook Messenger was a thing Alex had. Quickly she whipped her phone out and unlocked it to click on the app. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she found Alex and began texting her.

Piper Chapman: I have the rest of the day off. Where are you? I want my shirt back.

Alex Vause: I just got home. Haven't even cleaned it yet. Is this an excuse just to see me?

Piper could see that smirk and hear the way Alex said it just through a text. The teasing voice with that cocky ass smirk that just drove the blonde insane.

Piper Chapman: Why question this?

Alex Vause: Fine, I won't. Putting your shirt in my laundry now. You're going to have to stay and wait.

Piper Chapman: You're such a bitch sometimes.

Alex Vause: Says the one insisting she comes over. I'll give you my address.

Piper grinned once her phone vibrated with the link to the apartment. She looked up and saw a few cars zooming by, a taxi down the street coming her way. Instantly she started waving her hand and yelling for the taxi. The taxi pulled over and Piper got in; telling the guy the address.

"On it!" He said before pulling off.

Alex Vause: What do you want to eat?

Piper Chapman: Why?

Alex Vause: Because you're coming over to my house. It's almost lunch.

Piper Chapman: Since when have you ever offered me food?

Alex Vause: Since now. Wait, I've bought you food before.

Piper Chapman: Yeah, keyword Al, bought. You've never made me food. You're turning into your mother, I swear.

Alex Vause: No I am not. Okay maybe a bit. Just shut up and tell me what you want before I change my mind.

Piper Chapman: I don't know, I'm so not used to this domestic shit.

Alex Vause: You wanted it.

Piper Chapman: Yes, I love it, I really do. It's so nice to see you have this side, I just don't know what to do with it yet.

Alex Vause: Well, figure it out soon, kid. I'm making us grilled cheese's for lunch.

Piper Chapman: So if I don't like it, do I not tell you? How does this domestic shit go?

Alex Vause: Beats me. I figured you would know.

Piper Chapman: I'm about to come upstairs to your apartment to get my t-shirt.

Alex Vause: Obviously you're going to stay awhile.

Piper Chapman: Of course, also I want to see how more to this domestic side of you looks.

Alex Vause: Maybe return my sweater?

A knock on the door pried Alex away from her phone. She let out an aggravated groan having to answer the door and stop texting Piper. The woman put her phone in her pocket before walking out of the kitchen and to her front door. She unlocked it and swung it open.

"You're not getting this sweater back, Al" Piper replied.

Alex let out a deep, raspy, chuckle. Herbody was leaning against the door as she took in the sight in front of her. She knew Piper told her she was coming upstairs, but she was so lost into the conversation it went over her head. Now she just was admiring Piper wearing the sweater that Alex had given to her earlier.

"Bummer, guess that means you're not getting that shirt back either" Alex smirked.

"Oh really? What are you going to do with it? It's not your style at all" Piper quickly replied.

"Hold it hostage" Alex chuckled.

"Better then holding me hostage I guess" Piper sighed.

"Oh I would, I just don't want to go back to prison" Alex smirked.

"Creepy, you're lucky I want to have lunch" She grinned.

"Well then come on in" Alex moved a bit to her right; opening the door more so Piper could walk in.

"I guess" Piper shrugged before walking in to the apartment.

Everything was a bit modern. The theme was black and white. The leather couch was the first thing Piper saw. Alex still had a thing for leather couches after all these years. She always argued Piper that they were more comfy, but Piper just replied with it was some sort of a kink Alex secretly had.

The flat screen was mounted to the wall across from the couch. Under it sat a black entertainment center. It held movies, music albums, a record player, and a DVD player. The record player was playing a Tegan and Sara album. Piper had gotten Alex into them when they first started dating. Hell, in that playlist Alex made her back at Litchfield one of their songs was in it.

A balcony was straight ahead from Piper off of the living room. It had a view of the whole city and two chairs, one table. Behind her was a kitchen bar that showed into the kitchen. A black fridge had a calendar on it, magnets and photos. The counter had a toaster and microwave with random snacks lined up.

"Nicky won't be back for an hour or so, so it's just you and me" Alex cut Piper's trance off short.

"How's it like living with her?" Piper asked curiously.

The blonde walked over; sitting at the kitchen bar. She put her phone down on top of the table top. Her eyes wandered to Alex who was preparing to make their lunch.

"Uh," Alex chuckled. "Let's just say, you're the only woman I've always loved to live with" She smirked to herself.

"She that bad?" Piper chuckled.

"Not that she is bad, just loud and she brings more one night stands home more then I ever have in a lifetime" Alex replied; buttering a slice of bread.

"Oh god," Piper let another soft chuckle escape her lips. "Back in college when me and Polly lived together, she did that. It was so awkward especially when they stayed in the morning"

"Oh I hate when they stay in the morning! Especially going through my fridge like who the fuck are you?" Alex yelled out with a laugh.

"Right?! Or when they make coffee and it isn't even good coffee!"

"Or they don't even have the politeness to offer you any of your own coffee!" Alex added.

Both of them were lost in their laughter at the ridiculousness of one night stands. The laughter died down as Alex began to focus on making their lunch. Music filled up the comfortable silence between them for a few minutes before Piper began speaking again.

"You know when I met you, I saw you as a one night stand" Piper admitted.

Alex snickered before stealing a glance over her shoulder at the younger woman. "I saw you as a potential drug mule first. Then we got to talking that night, never really believed in anyone that way"

"You had a girlfriend at the time-"

"More of a physical body to distract me from my life" Alex sighed. "Plus she was super annoying and had, issues"

"Yeah her fist in my face told me so" Piper grumbled.

"Oh my god, I nearly forgot about that" Alex laughed.

"How could you? I nearly stuck my shoe up your ass that night" Piper chuckled. "I guess it was good expierence though"

"Well it gave you the courage to find me at that bar and drag me into the bathroom" Alex smirked.

"Oh don't act so innocent, you wanted it to"

"Fuck yeah I did" Alex said. "I was worried I would never see you again"

"Worried you would lose your potential drug mule?" Piper asked; watching as Alex flipped their sandwiches on the pan.

"More worried I would lose the best sex I've ever had" Alex grinned.

"Oh that's nice Al" Piper rolled her eyes.

"It's true," Alex sighed. She took the plates out and placed a sandwich on each plate. "Want something to drink?"

"Just water, please" Piper said.

Alex grabbed a water bottle and threw it to Piper. Piper successfully catching it and quickly opening it. She placed the bottle to her lips; watching Alex bring their plates over. The woman let the water run down her throat before closing it and placing the bottle back onto the table.

"Thanks" Piper smiled as she watched Alex sit across from her.

"So this is easy?" Alex gestured to both of them with her hand.

"I think this is what normal people do" Piper replied.

"But when do we return to prison?" Alex smirked. "Or is that not normal?"

"I don't think that's normal, sorry to burst your bubble" Piper grinned before taking a bite out of the grilled cheese. She chewed the piece she had before letting it travel down to her stomach. "Holy shit, you are actually a good cook"

Alex let out a raspy chuckle; watching Piper take another bite. "I guess I am turning into my mother, she was an amazing cook"

"Mhm" Piper agreed through a mouthful of food. "She was really something when it came to food" She chuckled.

"She was.." Alex nodded and put her sandwich back down on the plate.

"Al.." Piper whispered and put her own sandwich back down. Her hand slowly reached over; taking Alex's own hand into her's. "You alright?" Her thumb slowly began to draw circles over her knuckles.

"Yeah.." Alex nodded. "I just miss her a lot. And I fucked up so much" She chuckled.

"I can't say you didn't fuck up, but you know she would be so proud of you for making a good grilled cheese" Piper said causing Alex to let a soft chuckle out.

"Everything else though-"

"She probably wouldn't of been proud of you for the prison and drug dealing, but that's in the past. We are going to be normal for now on" Piper said.

"I just miss her, alot" Alex repeated.

"I know, Al" Piper said. "You'll see her again some day.."

"Thank you" Alex whispered and leaned foward to kiss Piper's forehead.

The front door opened and slammed shut. But, Alex and Piper were oblivious. They held each other's hand; staring into one another's eyes. Piper hated knowing she couldn't take the pain Alex felt away from her. She always wanted to. But there was no other way or helping either then Piper just being there.

"Hey not lesbians!" Nicky said that familiar phrase she had once said before.

"And just like that the moment is gone" Alex whispered and took her hand back to begin eating once more.

"Now this is a sight I love to see!" Nicky laughed. "What's going on Chapman? How did you escape work?"

"Oh Red agreed to run my kitchen today" Piper shrugged like it was nothing.

"What?" Alex and Nicky both asked.

"Yeah, she got out last week"

"Wait, Red is at Pearl's right now?" Nicky asked.

"Well I hope so or I have nobody running that place" Piper laughed.

"Holy shit, alright. I'm leaving, uh if I have a girl show up tell her I'm not here obviously but I will be back" Nicky told Alex.

"You got it" Alex nodded.

"Okay, I'll see you later!" Nicky yelled before rushing out.

"Red really there?" Alex asked.

"I wouldn't lie about that" Piper replied. "Now, about that shirt.."

"You're not getting it back that easy, we have shit to catch up on, kid" Alex smirked.

"Well, I have time.." Piper just replied.


	5. Reunited

"Does that steak look well done to you? Did your mother raise you to leave shit undone?!" Red yelled at one of the cooks; slamming the plate back on the counter. "Let's get that steak well done before bringing it to the customer yes?" Red asked and walked away from that one cook who look terrified in particular.

"Red, someone keeps asking to come into the kitchen to see you" The hostess said in a soft voice; afraid of what the older lady would say.

"Only Chapman knows I am here, tell them to go away" Red swatted her hand in the air.

"Okay, on it" She nodded before rushing off.

Red turned her back to the kitchen door; watching the kitchen in a busy place. The cooks rushed around, waiters and waitresses came in through the flying door to take orders or give orders. The woman was no doubt proud of herself for still being able to run a kitchen like it was nothing. It was definetely in her blood to be able to handle this.

"Miss! You can't go in there it's employees only!" The hostess yelled.

"Well sucks to be you because I am going in!" Red heard that raspy voice.

The older woman turned quickly as the door flew open to reveal the orange crazy haired woman. She had hands on her hips as the hostess ran in behind her. Red couldn't believe it. It was Nicky. The girl she never thought she would be able to see again. The girl she took as her own daughter and loved her like one.

"Red I'm so sorry-"

"It's fine," Red cut off in a soft voice. "This one, she can stay" She nodded as she pointed to Nicky.

"Yeah, see" Nicky smirked as she glanced over to the hostess. "I can stay!" She said in a cocky tone.

"Fine" The hostess said before walking away to get back to her job.

"So, uh" Nicky began and threw her arms out to her side. "Why didn't you tell me you were out"

Red knew she would have to explain why she didn't talk to Nicky for the last couple years. She basically shunned her in prison and didn't even say a goodbye when Nicky left. But for now, she was just happy to see the cocky looking woman in front of her.

Quickly she engulfed the younger woman in her arms; holding her tight. Nicky let out a sigh before wrapping her own arms around her. She held back tears as she felt the tight hug relieve alot of the stress she had built up. Her own mother never was around enough to give Nicky this effect a parent could give, but Red took on that roll. If anything good came out of prison for Nicky, it was Red.

"I couldn't get in contact with you" Red replied before pulling away. Her hands holding onto Nicky's shoulders; scanning her face for any sign of a relapse. A habit Red had grown.

"Because you had me stop visiting you-"

"I needed you far away from Litchfield. It wasn't good for you" Red replied.

"But I was going for you-"

"Can you trust me on this?" Red asked a bit violently.

"Whoa," Nicky chuckled. "I was just wondering why you wouldn't let me see you, why are you getting so defensive?"

"There was things going on I did not want you to see-"

"Well why can't you tell me now?" The younger woman asked. "What was so important for me not to see that I couldn't come visit you? Huh?"

Red went silent. Her heart dropped knowing Nicky would be pissed if she didn't tell the truth now. She let her hands rub Nicky's shoulders as her own eyes shut tight. She just knew she had to say it.

"Morello, she found a new guy..." Red confessed.

Nicky went silent after Red spoke the words. She had been having so many one night stands in hopes Morello would be out soon and they would somehow be together. The woman was living in a fantasy land it felt like.

During Nicky's time towards the end of her sentence, Morello was transferred to C block and left Nicky a mess. She doesn't even know where Morello is today. She never even got her goodbye.

"She was telling everyone in the block, I needed you away from that. I didn't want you to lose your release date, Nicky" Red explained; desperation in her voice for forgiveness.

"Okay.." Nicky nodded. "That's fine. She's happy right? That's what matters" Nicky just kept nodding as words poured out of her mouth.

"Nic-"

"Thank you, mom. Really. Uh, I should get back before this girl I have coming over walks in and the not lesbians fucking" Nicky laughed through the pain she felt. "I'll see you soon" She added before rushing out.

Red knew it wasn't smart to chase after Nicky. Plus she promised to Piper that she would keep the restaurant running until closing. Her heart broke though as she watched the woman she saw as her daughter rush out; avoiding the idea of a heartbreak.

"The view is really beautiful out here, Al" Piper said as they walked out onto the balcony.

"It is" Alex nodded in agreement; holding a cup of coffee in each hand.

"How did you get this place anyway?" Piper asked; remaining standing to look out at the city.

Alex sat down at the small little table and placed Piper's coffee down across from her. She took a sip from the warm liquid before speaking up about the apartment.

"My mom left it in my name actually" Alex said which caused Piper to flip around to look at her.

"What? She didn't live in Brooklyn" Piper asked.

"I know, but she had this place in her twenties. She had bought it and just kept renting it out. But, she left it in my name in the will. I stayed here for a bit after her death, but I just couldn't remain here. Never sold it though, obviously" She chuckled.

"I never knew that. Why couldn't you remain here? Work?" Piper asked as she sat down across from Alex at the table.

"You, actually" Alex bluntly said the answer to her question.

"Alex, I never knew you even had this place. How could it have been my fau-"

"I didn't stay here not because of you entirely. I was too busy partying a lot to forget you. I hooked up with so many girls and when I brought them back here, I felt like shit. Plus this place reminds me of my mom and you know how much my mom loved you. She wouldn't want me bringing any random girl home either then you" Alex explained.

"You partied to forget me?" Piper's voice was low and weak. It wreaked of guilt. "I never knew that.."

"I did anything to forget you, Piper" Alex chuckled as if it was just obvious. "You broke my fucking heart"

"I know, I never wanted to.." Piper whispered and looked down at her coffee cup.

Alex was shocked. Usually Piper would relay with something like how Alex broke hers as well. But instead, she was just apologetic. She showed signs of regret and guilt. Something the Piper that Alex once knew would never do.

"Wow" Alex said.

"What?" Piper looked up quickly.

"You, you just never would react like that usually. Usually that would lead to us arguing about who broke who" Alex said.

"We both fucked up, Al" Piper said. "But, I just never realized how much I probably hurt you. Well, I did. I just never wanted to admit to it. I'm just sorry.."

"Well, I'm glad you're sorry. But this is getting depressing" Alex said.

"I can fix that with some great fucking news!" Nicky yelled as she walked out onto the balcony.

"Well hello to you too" Piper gave a smile causing Alex to chuckle.

"Don't smart mouth me right now" Nicky said as she paced back and forth.

"Wow, Nicky telling us to not be smart mouthing her" Alex said. "Something must seriously be wrong if the queen of smart mouthing is telling us to shut it" She said causing her and Piper to fall into a chuckle.

"Lorna" Nicky said causing both girls to stop chuckling.

Their heads flipped over to see the woman with her arms thrown out. Her face filled with panic and horror. Maybe a hint of sadness as well. They knew anytime Nicky mentioned Morello that it probably wasn't smart to be assholes. It didn't take an idiot to know what Morello meant to the woman.

"What?" Piper asked.

Alex took a deep breath before placing her coffee cup down. She raised her glasses to rest on her head before letting her hands rub over her face.

Piper knew just from the older woman's gestures that she knew what was wrong. And the way she was reacting seemed that it wasn't a good situation either.

"Alex.." Piper whispered.

"Who told you?" Alex peeked over her shoulder to see Nicky behind her.

"Red" Nicky responded. "So you knew?" She asked.

"She told me herself about it, called me a few weeks ago-"

"You got to be fucking kidding me!" Nicky yelled and just stormed back inside.

"What is going on?" Piper asked.

But, Nicky stormed back out onto the balcony again. Her hands on her hips as she paced back and forth. The woman obviously was stressed out to no end. This was not going to be a pretty day.

"So let me get this straight," Nicky began. "She called you and you knew, but never told me-"

"She strictly told me to not tell you, Nicky" Alex stated.

"Where is she?" Nicky asked.

"What is going on?" Piper asked.

"Pi-"

"Where is she?!" Nicky cut Alex off.

"She moved out west" Alex replied.

"You know where, don't you?" Nicky asked.

"Los Angeles, he's a model-"

"Oh fucking great!" Nicky laughed. "God what heroin would do for me rig-"

"Nicky, no" Both of the ladies said.

"Road trip!" Nicky randomly blurted.

"What?" Alex asked.

"She told me when she got out we would get married. I want to know what the hell happened to that promise. You know where she is, pack your shit, we're going to Los Angeles!" Nicky rambled.

"As much as I would love to randomly go, I have Piper to catch up with" Alex smiled as she was able to use Piper as an excuse once more.

"No, we can go. I just have to ask if Red can run Pearl's for a bit. I need a vacation anyway" Piper quickly said.

Alex looked over giving her a 'what are you thinking?' look. Piper knew she was asking why the hell she just took their ticket out of going away. But, Piper just shrugged before looking back at Nicky.

"I'll go talk to Red for you" Nicky said. "Need a distraction from getting my hands on shit I don't need. You two, start packing" She said before quickly leaving as quick as she showed up and declared a roadtrip.

"Are you insane?" Alex asked after hearing the front door slam shut.

"What? I need a vacation and honestly I think this will be good closure for Nicky. You know she will never move on without closure-"

"Or we bring back a mess of a broken heart!" Alex exclaimed.

"I doubt that'll be it" Piper shook her head.

"You have no idea what you're getting us into" Alex just shook her head.

"You're just upset because you won't have me screaming your name quicker then you thought" Piper said.

"Very funny" Alex rolled her eyes a bit annoyed at the trip. "Luckily I don't have a job to walk away from either so you can pull me into this trip"

"See? All works out. I'll pack your stuff for you" Piper jumped up and began to walk away.

"You just want an excuse to take my clothes to pack in your own suitcase" Alex said.

"Haven't done that since I was in my twenties, think I deserve to be able to do that again" Piper grinned; kissing Alex's cheek quickly as she passed by.

"Isn't that for couples?!" Alex yelled after her.

"Thanks for confirming we are back together!" Piper just yelled back causing Alex to shake her head with a smile.

What the hell did Piper just wrangle them into?


	6. Number

It's been a week since Nicky had declared a road trip across the country to find Lorna Morello. It's also been a week since Piper had gotten Alex and her wrapped up into that idea. The black haired woman was a bit irritated by that. She wasn't sure if Piper knew exactly what she had gotten them into. But, she was happy to go on a roadtrip especially when it had Piper apart of it.

Alex had talked to Piper on the phone throughout the week, but hadn't seen her since she packed Alex's stuff for her. She had left with a bag of her own with the clothes of Alex's. Supposedly she was going to wash them, but it was obvious she just wanted them for herself.

"Alright, got the vehicle!" Nicky announced as she walked inside the apartment.

"And you're sure you want to do this?" Alex asked; leaning against the wall. Her arms crossed against her chest.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Nicky asked.

"Because what-" Alex cut herself off. The words she was about to let leave her mouth were a bit harsh. She heard Piper in her mind telling her to 'Word it nicer' in that sweet nagging tone. "What are you going for?"

"To bitch her out for lying again" Nicky said. "The fuck you think I'm going for?"

"You can just do that over a phone call, I have her number" Alex said.

"You've had her number all this motherfucking time?" Nicky asked.

"The cursing is a little extra today huh?" Alex decided to avoid her question.

"Answer my fucking question, Vause" Nicky said.

"Yeah, I have it. Again though she told me to not tell you" Alex sighed.

"God the nerve she has!" Nicky chuckled. "I literally, she, fucking hell!" She just cursed and stormed off to her bedroom.

Alex sighed and pushed herself off the wall to walk over to her phone. She knew Nicky was stressed out over this. And she also wasn't sure what kind of Nicky they would be bringing back.

Alex loved Morello. She was a sweet girl and they talked once a month. Lorna actually asked about Nicky each time. Alex always gave her a half an hour update about her before they even talked about themselves. But, she lived in a fantasy world.

She thought the ideal world was a fantasy one. The princess with the prince, they ride off into the sunset with a child. Which, she almost had that. But then the miscarriage in prison and her husband up and left. Nicky and her became extremely close after that. More then they ever were.

From what Alex saw, Nicky fell harder then before for Lorna. Lorna seemed to have fallen hard again once more for her. But when Nicky left, Alex kept tabs on what Morello was up to. She had found a guy who used to be one of the officers and the rest was history.

Alex didn't approve of it at all. Morello had made some promises to Nicky about what would happen to them, but it never went through. Nicky stopped visiting because she wasn't on anyone's visitation list. Red hated to do it, but Alex had asked her to do it.

Red was against it at first. She was pissed off Alex suggested such a thing. But, then she understood why when she saw Morello in visitation with the guy. She had one last visit with Nicky, and then got her off of her list. The woman was broken by it, but knew it was to protect her.

So she wasn't sure what they were about to walk into and bring home. The woman wasn't sure if it was smart, but she felt as if she needed to warn Morello on what was coming. Just as she was about to, her phone buzzed in her hand and Piper's face showed. She instantly hit answer and put it to her ear.

"I was just about to let Morello know what's happening" Alex said into the phone; walking out onto the balcony.

"No! I told you, table 12 has been waiting ten fucking minutes for water! Water!" Piper yelled.

"Oh shit, let me bring them water right now" Alex grinned.

"Hang on, Alex" Piper said in that annoyed tone of voice before yelling again about something.

"Yes, darling" Alex sat down at the table and waited for Piper to be able to talk.

"Alright, what time will you guys be here?" Piper asked.

"Well Nicky just stormed to her bedroom because I pissed her off" Alex said.

"Oh no, what did you do?" Piper asked.

"She knows I've had Morello's number and never told her" Alex sighed.

"Oh you're dead" Piper said. "Why did you tell her?"

"Because she said she only wants to go to Morello to bitch her out for hurting her. Well, she didn't admit to being hurt. But, I asked why it can't just be a phone call" Alex explained.

"And then you told her you had her number" Piper sighed.

"This just doesn't seem like a good idea, Piper" Alex said.

"Why? She wants to go and we should go support her" Piper said.

"Because I don't think you understand the potential of what we can be bringing home. She's just getting back into getting a job and shit" Alex said.

"What do you mean?" Piper asked.

"What I was after you left me Piper, listen, it wasn't pretty. Let's just say that" Alex kept it short and Piper knew not to push right now.

Piper was silent for a moment before talking. "Can you get Morello here?"

"How could I do that?"

"You have her number. Explain to her what's happening and I'll figure out Nicky. She won't listen to you about staying here. Think you might be on her shit list" Piper said.

"What if that doesn't work?" Alex asked.

"Then I guess we go to LA. Red is on board to run my kitchen. I'm paying her anyway, so I have the two weeks off anyway. Either way, I have two weeks off" Piper said.

"So you have two weeks off?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, so either way be prepared to see me in your face twenty four hours each day" Piper said.

"It's like we're back in prison again and you're greeting me with a chipped tooth" Alex smiled at the memory.

"Shut up" Piper said, but Alex knew she was smiling.

"It was cute!" Alex chuckled. "You were my fiancee in a jug band" She grinned.

"Speaking of fiancee," Piper said. "Where are we at?" She asked.

"Think in Brooklyn-"

"You know what I mean, Alex" Piper said.

"Yes, I know" She said. "I still want to marry you. You know you're the only woman I've ever really loved"

"What an honor" Piper said in a fake annoyed voice.

"Well we're prison married" Alex said.

"But I think we should be normal people married.." Piper suggested.

"I agree, but I think it's only fair I get to propose this time" Alex said.

"Did I take away your dominance by that?" Piper asked with a chuckle.

"Oh totally, stripped me completely of it" Alex grinned.

"Well I guess I can let you win that back by proposing to me" Piper said. "But just let me know when and not in a prison cellar"

"You will not know when, but it will not be in a prison cellar. I promise" Alex said.

"Good, I'll trust you on that. I have to get back to work. I'll be at your place tonight. Call Morello, please. And don't piss Nicky off anymore" Piper quickly said.

"I'll try not to. See you tonight" Alex said, but Piper had already hung up by the end.

That was something Alex had to adjust to was Piper abruptly ending conversations to get back to work. But, she had sort of gotten used to it. She didn't work as much as Piper did. Only really weekends and late at night as a bar tender.

The woman didn't want to work all the time. She felt her energy was wasted so much in her twenties and when she was in prison. When she first got out of prison though, she worked nonstop hours to save up money.

She had ended up saving up a good amount of money and without having to pay the apartments rent because her mother bought it, she only had to work some nights and weekends. Alex felt content in what her schedule work wise was. It just felt odd having Piper working so much that phone calls ended so abruptly. But, that was something she learned to deal with.

"Give me her number" Nicky randomly popped up on the balcony. Her arms crossed as her knee bounced.

"No, I can't" Alex sighed as she looked up at the woman.

"Why the fuck not?" Nicky asked.

"She told me to not give the number to you. Listen, Piper will be here tonight because we are going out for dinner. She just doesn't know it yet. So, go try to get straight girl downstairs up here" Alex suggested.

"She isn't fucking straight" Nicky sighed.

"Then have a one night stand. You'll have the place to yourself" Alex said and then an idea popped into her head. "I'll give you fifty if you get her in bed by tonight"

"That's just cruel!" Nicky said. "Seventy-five and nothing less" Nicky placed her hands on her hips.

"Deal" Alex said and got up. "I need to shower and go work for a few hours. If Piper gets here while I'm gone, try not to scare her off"

"I tried to the moment that blonde was in the orange jumpsuit. She stuck around instead" Nicky walked inside with Alex following.

"Trust me, I know the feeling" Alex sighed; placing her phone on the counter before walking towards the bathroom.

"Alex" Piper said as she walked inside the apartment without knocking. "There's this creepy guy at the end of your hallway, he followed me up he- Oh, hey Nicky" Piper said as Nicky randomly rushed out in front of her.

"That's Ed, stay clear of him. Your lesbian is at work, I have a girl in my room, can we make this quick?" Nicky asked.

"Uh, yeah. Where does she work? I wasn't even aware she had a job. She said that she didn't-" Piper cut herself off and clenched her fist. "Where is she?"

"The bar like two streets down from Pearl's-"

"That shitty place?! I know what she's up to and if she is, oh, she's dead" Piper said before storming out of the apartment.

Piper stormed passed the so called 'Ed' as she frantically ran down the stairs. Alex lied about having a job which probably meant only one thing. She was drug dealing again and Piper was more then upset over that idea. She was pissed off and hurt over the idea of that.

Piper had made it clear before she didn't want to be with Alex if she was drug dealing once again. She didn't want to live that life once more. Sure, she had amazing memories from that time. From the first time they traveled together to even the beauty fish that she got on the back of her neck. But, that was then and before prison. This was now and after they spent time in prison.

"Taxi!" Piper yelled as she waved a cab down to get to the bar as soon as she could.

It took a few cabs flying by her before one stopped for her. The woman sighed of relief as she quickly got into the taxi cab. She gave the address and just sat back to look at her phone. Polly had texted her just minutes ago.

Polly: My house tonight for a TLC marathon?

Piper: Shit, I completely forgot. I'm so sorry.

Polly: What? You never forget TLC night. My 600 Pound Life has new shows. Everything alright?

Piper: Alex told me she didn't have a job, but apparently she does. Maybe, I'm not sure. I'm going to figure out what that is right now.

Polly: ...What?

Piper: What?

Polly: Alex? As in your, Alex? The Alex that has called me Holly since I met her, Alex? Alex that broke your heart Alex?

Piper: Alex Vause, yes...I forgot to mention this didn't I?

Polly: Yeah, you kinda did.

Piper: Lecture me later, I'm at the bar. Sorry about forgetting.

Piper quickly paid the driver before jumping out of the vehicle. She looked at the rundown dive bar that had been here way before Piper was even born. People walked into the bar; the noise instantly filling Piper's ears. There was a high chance Alex could be working for a international drug cartel once more. And, Piper was about to find that out. It wasn't surprising she was scared.

She loved Alex so much. The woman knew Alex was the love of her life, her other half, her soul mate, everything in the book that meant she was the one. So if she found out she was drug dealing, it would be heartbreaking.

Piper took a deep breath and began to let her feet walk up to the door. The loud music, chattering, and sounds of dishes filled her ears as she opened the door. This was making Piper more anxious by the second not knowing what she was about to walk into.


	7. Hey, Bartender

Piper walked in the old rundown dive bar. Music played loudly and people were all seen laughing or dancing. She let her eyes scan as she registered each black haired woman. None of them were the one she was looking for.

Her anxiety was bubbling in her stomach as her heart pounded to the old Phil Collin's song, 'In The Air Tonight'. It was one of Alex's favorites to dance to with Piper in their twenties. Late nights in hotel rooms they would sway their hips and spin each other around until they fell into a fit of kisses and giggles. She got lost in the thought of that memory for a bit until her stomach felt a tug. Something was telling her to look over towards her right.

To her right, Alex was behind the bar mixing a drink before serving it to the customer. Her lips moved as she was talking through some laughter. She then threw the towel that was in her hand over her shoulder. Her hands landed on the edge of the bar counter; letting her body lean onto the counter.

Piper took a sigh of relief seeing it wasn't what she thought and worried it was. She kept her eyes locked on the older woman and folded her arms across her chest. She just couldn't for the life of her figure out why Alex wanted to lie about her job. In Piper's opinion, she made one hell of a bar tender. Alex always knew how to make the best drinks for Piper.

Alex's eyes wandered up to find Piper's. She stopped laughing with the others and just used her head to signal the younger woman over. The taller woman saw the hesitation in her, but eventually she caved in and squeezed herself between the strangers at the counter. Alex couldn't help but grin as she made her way down.

"Hey, blondie. Here for a margarita?" She asked.

"Is it the correct weather for it?" Piper asked causing Alex to chuckle at the memory of them first meeting.

"Not really, but for someone as beautiful as you I think I can make it possible" Alex smirked.

"Careful there, I have a girlfriend and if she heard a bar tender was flirting with me I'm not sure she would be too thrilled" Piper said as she watched Alex begin to make the drink. She let her chin rest on her hand as her eyes wandered up and down the taller woman's body.

"Might want to tell her you're the one checking this bar tender out" Alex said before placing the drink on the counter in front of Piper. "Oh, and of course it's on the house" She winked before walking away to serve the other customers.

Pipertook a sip from the drink; letting her eyes linger on the older woman. Thoughts about why Alex would lie about having a job left her mind slowly with each sip of the mixed drink. Instead, she only had thoughts about how Alex looked.

She was in black skinny jeans, a low cut white v' neck shirt, and her black heeled boots added onto her already tall height. Her hair was wavy and down past her breasts. Her glasses sat on the bridge of her nose. And those fucking lips looked so perfect. The way they curved up into a smile when she laughed and the way they moved when she talked.

Piper took a deep breath; tugging back at her bottom lip between her teeth. Her eyes gazed at the woman who was striding back towards her after taking care of the other customers.

"Am I more interesting then your drink?" Alex asked.

"You know that answer" Piper spoke.

"I get off around eleven tonight" Alex said.

"You telling me that as your girlfriend or as a girl you want to bring home?" Piper asked.

"Why can't it be both?" Alex leaned her arms onto the counter; getting closer to Piper's face.

"I don't know, you might be a bad influence on me" Piper said in a voice that sounded almost innocent. "I get major drug dealer vibes off you"

"You know a girl well" Alex smirked.

"So that's a yes?" Piper asked. "Because if so, I don't think I can be with you after you get off work tonight"

Alex sensed what Piper's tone was. She knew that there was a reason Piper really showed up here. When Alex was a bar tender for a short time years ago in their twenties, Piper never liked to show up at the bar. She didn't like to see when other people would flirt with Alex.

Which was understandable, Alex would be the same way. So really Piper only showed up when it was closing time or before everyone showed up.

"There something you would like to speak about?" Alex asked.

"When you're off work, it would be appreciated to talk as normal people" Piper replied; using her fingertip to stir her drink.

"Understood" Alex nodded and leaned back up. "You okay?"

"You're a bar tender again," Piper said and let her eyes roam up and down the woman's body. "I'll be fine" She smirked causing Alex to chuckle.

"Mhm, alright" Alex just chuckled and shook her head. "Let me know when you need another drink" She said before walking away once more.

The bar was still packed with a bunch of people, but not as many as there were early. Alex was wiping down the counter with the towel that had been thrown onto her shoulder more times then Piper could count. It was weird to see Alex working an actual legal job. Not that the woman was complaining. This is kind of how she wished they met instead.

Not just wishing she met Alex as a bar tender. She wish she met the Alex who worked anything either then a job that was illegal. Maybe then they wouldn't of wasted so much time without each other only to be brought back together by being in prison. At the same time she wondered, would it still be the same?

Would they still have their special connection? Would they still have the best memories together? Probably not, but Piper hated that they wasted so much time and spent time in the prison system. She always wondered what life would have been without the drug dealing.

"Let me go get my stuff and clock out" Alex snapped Piper out of her daze. "Need another drink before I do?"

"No, I'm alright. Want me to meet you outside?" Piper asked.

"Actually, come back with me. I want to introduce you to the crew" Alex said.

"Al, I look like shit. I worked all day and it was a shit day-"

"You look fine, trust me" Alex said.

Piper could tell Alex really wanted to introduce her to the rest of the staff. She wasn't at all in the mood to, but she decided to just get over it. The blonde nodded and got up; making her way around the bar counter where Alex was waiting for her.

"We can go out the back door" Alex said.

"Night Alex!" One of the customers smiled.

"Night Zach" Alex said as she lead Piper into the 'Staff only' doorw

They walked through the kitchen and to a room that had two guys playing what looked like poker. They sat at an old plastic table in wood chairs. A clothing rack was behind them along with an old school TV sitting on a couple crates. The lighting was dim and a door to Piper's right was a heavy black door that said 'Exit'.

"Hey guys, this is Piper" Alex spoke.

She let her hand rub on Piper's lower back as she walked over to the clothing rack to grab her stuff. Piper mentally was cursing her out for leaving her alone. This room without a doubt made her feel uncomfortable. It felt like when Piper had to go with Alex sometimes to drop money or drugs off to Kubra. It was always in some gross, dark, old place. Alex never really wanted to take Piper with her to see Kubra because of that. The places felt always uneasy and disgusting.

"Piper? The Piper?" The guy on Piper's left asked.

He had his baseball cap on backwards. A scruffy beard look to compliment his shaggy medium hair cut. The guy wore a floral buttoned up shirt that looked like it was from Hawaii. He was looking at his cards as the guy to her right looked over.

"Huh, now I get it. Good catch, Vause" He chuckled before returning to his cards.

He was wearing an old hockey jersey and looked younger then the other guy. His hair was a dirty blond and cut short. They both seemed like guys Piper would never be around unless Alex was.

"Piper, this is Jim and Andrew. They own this place" Alex said; walking back over to the blonde. "Piper owns Pearl's"

"Pearl's? That's a good fancy fucking restaurant, the hell you doing in a shit place like this?" Jim, the guy on the left, asked with a chuckle.

"Seeing why you hired Alex as a bar tender, she isn't always the most pleasant person" Piper smirked at Alex.

"That we can agree on" Andrew laughed. "But, she's good at what she does"

"Plus, she keeps the customers happy" Jim said.

"So what I'm hearing is, she isn't destroying everything she touches here?" Piper asked causing the rest to chuckle.

"Not yet at least" Jim said.

"Give it time" Piper said; giving Alex a small playful grin.

"Isn't she lovely?" Alex let her arm slip around Piper's back. Her hand resting on her hip. "Well, we gotta go. See you guys in a couple days"

"Thanks for tonight" Jim waved them off as Alex lead them out the back door.

They walked out into the brisk Brooklyn air. Piper shivered from it a bit; turning to see Alex shutting the door behind them. She then turned and gave Piper a warm smile. Slowly she walked over; running a hand through her hair.

"So, why would you lie about this? I mean you told me about bar tending, but you said you didn't have to work" Piper said.

"I don't work as many hours as I used to" Alex shrugged as they walked towards the sidewalk to walk home on.

"But still, why would you lie?"

"Because, figured you would hate the idea of me as a bar tender" Alex shrugged. "When I was, you never showed you liked or cared for it"

"How so?" Piper asked.

"You never showed up at the bar, only to pick me up and you never really cared for the idea" Alex said.

"No, I loved that you were a bar tender. Hell, you could be someone on the street begging for money and I would have been fine. Anything was better then a drug dealer" Piper spoke.

"Then why did you never want to stop by while I was working?" Alex asked.

"Because, we had just gotten back together.." Piper said.

When Alex became a bar tender years ago, it was after they broke up for a couple months. Piper had enough of the idea of Alex as a drug dealer, so she moved out. Alex moved back in with her mom because of the heart break she felt. Piper lived with Polly because it was too difficult to live without Alex. It was accidental how they had gotten back together.

FLASHBACK

"Piper, just go talk to him!" Polly encouraged; pointing to the guy on the dance floor. "Or, dance with him"

"I don't know, I'm not really a dancer" Piper lied.

"Bullshit" Polly giggled in her drunken state. "Just go!" She shoved her out onto the dance floor.

The blonde stumbled onto the dance floor and her path back to Polly was quickly blocked off. She sighed in a frustrated tone before turning back to the guy Polly kept pointing her towards. But he wasn't there, instead it was some black haired raven beauty sitting at one of the tables away from the dance floor.

There was a pathway through the crowd right to the older woman who was drinking from the beer bottle. Piper squinted her eyes a bit to figure out who she was and why she knew her. Then, she flipped the black framed glasses down.

Piper felt her heart jump up into her throat. It was Alex, her Alex. It wasn't just anyone else named Alex or looked like her. This time, it was really her. And the pathway through the dance floor remained open to go to her.

Maybe it was the small amount of alcohol Piper had coursing through her veins. Or maybe it was the fact Piper sucked at thinking things through completely before making a choice. But, she was walking over towards her.

As she walked off the dance floor, closer to the table, Alex caught glimpse. Their eyes met and everything around them was just background. Piper and Alex both felt as if they were the only two people in this world.

"Hey.." Piper said softly, but loud enough to hear over the noises of the club.

"Piper.." Alex let the name roll off her tongue.

"What are you doing here?"

"Uh," Alex stumbled; trying to think 9f the words she needed to say. "I'm a bar tender here, I just got off my shift"

"Bar tending?"

"Yeah, no more illegal shit" She chuckled.

"Figured you'd be here with a girl.." Piper said.

"No, single" Alex replied quickly.

"Well uh," Piper turned to look at the dance floor as Toxic by Britney Spears came on. She quickly looked back and licked her lips. "Any rule bar tenders can't dance?"

"Don't think so.." Alex smiled a bit. "Especially when it comes to girl's like you.."

"Well, join me?" Piper held her hand out and Alex hesitated.

Piper noticed the hesitation and leaned onto the table. Her lips ghosted over Alex's ear as her hand found Alex's. She entangled their fingers together and bit her bottom lip quickly before talking.

"You came onto me..and I liked it," Piper whispered. "I want to taste what you taste like.." She added.

"Fuck the dancefloor" Alex muttered before quickly getting up and pulling Piper down to the bathroom.

END OF FLASHBACK

"I was just easily jealous. I mean fuck, Al. Did you see the way those girls looked at you?" Piper asked which caused Alex to chuckle.

"Surprised you missed the one girl ton-"

"I ignored it. Plus, I'm pretty sure I have you to myself now" Piper grinned as they stopped walking to look at one another.

"What makes you so sure?" Alex asked with a hint of a teasing tone to her voice.

"Well for one, we've been in prison together. Two, I'm just really cute and you can't resist it" Piper said with a laugh causing Alex to look down while she laughed before looking back up.

"I can't" Alex smirked as she wrapped her arms around Piper's waist. They shared a small kiss before Piper spoke again.

"I can't believe you're a bar tender again" Piper said. "Is this sticking though?"

"It has since I moved here. I have no plans on going back to drug dealing if that's what you're going at" Alex said.

"Well, Nicky told me you were here working but didn't clarify the bar tending aspect" Piper sighed; wrapping her arms around Alex's neck.

"So you rushed down here thinking I was dealing again?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, and let me tell you. It is such a relief you aren't" Piper sighed.

"Would you leave if I was?" Alex asked in a soft voice.

Piper was silent for a bit before letting her arms drop to just rub Alex's upper arms. She shook her head and let a sigh escape from her mouth.

"No" She muttered.

"You sound happy with that answer" Alex said.

"Because, I would want to leave. But just, I would never be able to. You know I wouldn't" Piper said.

"Even if I became a leader of a cult?" Alex asked.

"Only if I can decorate wherever you choose to live" Piper smiled softly.

"Depends, I'm going for a Manson vibe. Can you do that?" Alex smirked.

"I can work with that" Piper said. "Maybe I can give you a tour of my apartment first? Might give you a little insight on my decoration style"

"Is that just you trying to get me to go home with you? Because if so, it's working" Alex said.

"Well if it's working then yes, I am" Piper grinned."I think you'll like it"

"You know, I've been thinking about redecorating my bedroom as well. Maybe you could show me yours so I can get inspired?" Alex asked.

"Bedroom is actually a VIP perk to the apartment tour" She replied.

"Do I qualify for a VIP pass?" Alex rubbed Piper's hips with her thumbs as she held her a bit closer.

"You don't even have to pay" Piper whispered with a flirtatious, teasing smirk.

"Oh, I feel special" Alex chuckled.

"Well come on, I can take you to the tour and VIP's get extra perks" Piper said; quickly kissing the older woman's lips before slipping from her grip to keep walking.

Their hands quickly entangled though as they walked down the sidewalk towards the subway. Both kept the banter to almost none as they just enjoyed the fact they were together.


	8. Issues

The sun glistened in through the curtains of the small bedroom. Dust particles floated in the air like gravity didn't exist. The red silk sheets were thrown over to the two naked entangled bodies. Filling the room was the sound of the occasional slight snoring and muffled city sounds.

Piper had her leg thrown over Alex's legs. Her arm across her stomach as her head was resting on the woman's breasts. She felt safe and at home with Alex's arm protectively around her back; her thumb occasionally stroking the skin on her arm.

They had been drifting in and out of sleep since around seven in the morning. Neither had wanted to get up from the bed. It was warm and they had each other in their arms once more.

"We should get up.." Piper muttered.

"Why?" Alex asked; moving her hand up to play with Piper's blonde hair.

"Get breakfast, shower, all of the shit normal people do" Piper said; lifting her head up a bit to look into the older woman's eyes.

"For once I'm actually against your living like normal people idea" Alex chuckled. "I would rather be in bed with you all day"

"I know, I do too. I forgot how beautiful you are like this.." Piper whispered; running her finger tips over the skin of stomach and up to her breast.

"Are you just saying that because my birthday is next week?" Alex said through a raspy chuckle.

"No, you're just that beautiful" Piper said before leaning up a bit to kiss Alex's collar bone. "What? Do you expect special treatment until your birthday is over?" She gave a small grin.

"Well, you usually always give me special treatment anyway" Alex pointed out.

"How so?" Piper asked.

"Giving me another chance. Many chances actually, more then I deserve" Alex said.

That caused Piper to freeze for a moment. Her tone was different when she said those words. The woman sat up; resting her body on her elbow. Her hair fell in front of her face a bit as she scanned Alex's eyes.

Alex always looked so different without her glasses. She looked like an entirely different person to Piper. But, she was still the most beautiful person on this earth.

Her eyes though showed seriousness. No more teasing words or light chuckles. Alex was looking as if she was regretting being in this bed. Piper hated that she knew her so well to see the glimpse of regret in the older woman's eyes. Knowing Alex so well was a blessing, yet a curse.

"What do you mean?" Piper asked.

"I put you in prison, Piper. That should have been an automatic break everything off with me" Alex said.

"Is that what you want?" Piper asked.

"No-"

"Then why are you bringing it up? We're past this" Piper's tone changed to bitter and annoyed.

"Because I'm trying to fucking tell you how I feel" Alex cursed.

"Why are you getting mad at me?" Piper asked.

"You're the one getting annoyed at me bringing this up"

"Cause prison was years ago! That was years ago. Why are you still on this?" Piper asked.

The once calm feel to the two was gone. Both knew it was inevitable that a fight would happen soon. Piper was still upset over the prison issue, Alex still had grudges of her own. But in this moment, Piper didn't want to admit to any of it. She didn't want to acknowledge that they still had issues.

Alex was silent for a moment. She could tell just in Piper's tone and how she was acting that she still resented her for it. Who could blame her for that? But, it still pissed Alex off. She took a aggravated and frustrated sigh before sitting up and swinging her legs off the bed. She stood up and looked around; trying to find her t-shirt.

"What are you doing?" Piper asked.

"You're obviously not over the fact I got you in prison" Alex said.

"When did I say that?" Piper asked.

"I can hear it in your tone, Piper" Alex said in a frustrated tone.

"Alex, you're overthinking this-"

"Be straight with me" Alex grabbed her shirt and looked directly at Piper.

Piper felt Alex's eyes stare right into her soul. She took a small gulp; hating that Alex knew right through her. She knew when she was lying about how she felt. The woman always had. Same how Piper knew if Alex was lying. They knew each other too well sometimes. This was one of those times.

The older woman was right and Piper hated it. Piper wasn't over this at all. She had gotten more pissed off years after she left for some reason. Maybe it was because she still loved Alex after it all.

"I've never been straight with you-"

"Piper" Alex cut off the sarcastic comment.

"What does it matter?!" Piper exclaimed; watching the woman just find the rest of her clothes and getting dressed.

"My god, you could never just give me an answer" Alex muttered.

"Tell me, what does it matter if I'm upset still or not!" She yelled.

"It matters because I don't want you to resent me"

"From last night, I think neither of us have resentment towards one another" Piper said in that laughing tone.

"But it'll bite us in the ass soon enough" Alex said. "I don't want to break up again"

"You're breaking us up right now!" Piper yelled. "Why can't you just get over yourself?" Piper asked; getting up herself to go into the bathroom.

"Me?!" Alex yelled; following her right into the bathroom.

"Yes, you, Alex" Piper said; throwing a shirt on that was actually one of Alex's. Not that she even realized it.

"You're the one still clinging onto the fact your perfect little innocent self was destroyed in prison"

"Oh, that was destroyed the moment you turned me into your drug mule" Piper said.

Piper felt the air grow even more tense then it already was. She knew that was a bad thing to say. Alex hated when people tried to say Piper was her drug mule. It drove the older woman to anger just at the mention of it. Alex had told Piper many times that she grew to be so much more then just a potential drug mule. So much that she became the only woman Alex loved.

Of course she saw her that way at first. That was her goal. She saw an innocent blonde girl who was fresh out of college and completely on her own. It was the perfect person for a drug mule. But, it became more. They became more.

Alex realized Piper wasn't just another innocent girl to ruin. This one was someone she wanted to protect at all costs. She never wanted Piper to carry the drugs unless she was okay with it. Which, Piper was. She volunteered to hell her actually. Even though Alex hated it, she had needed the help to not get herself killed.

"You know for a fucking fact you were not that" Alex said through gritted teeth.

"Then what was I to you?" Piper turned from facing the sink to look at Alex. "Because you don't just find a drug mule, fuck her good, and send her to prison with you. Then return years later wanting to start this shit again"

Alex let a cold laugh escape her lips and a shake of her head at that before speaking.

"Where do you have room to talk? You left me when my mom died-"

"If I didn't leave then I never would" Piper said.

"So?! Where would we be?" Alex asked. "Prison and then still here right?"

Piper was silent.

"Where would we be if you never left?" Alex asked.

"I was like 20 something, Alex. How the fuck was I supposed to know we would go to prison together? And how the fuck was I supposed to know that I would fall in love with you?!" Piper yelled.

"Because you knew what you were risking by being with me and traveling with me!" Alex yelled.

"That wasn't my focus-"

"So all the free trips around the world were on your mind instead?" Alex asked.

"No-"

"Are you fucking serious? You're just going to lie" Alex chuckled.

"You were on my mind, Alex. I didn't care about anything else until our fight that day. That's when it hit me. I was so hopelessly in love with a international drug dealer that I didn't see anything else"

"Bullshit!" Alex laughed.

"It's not, bullshit!" Piper cursed. "Alex, you were the only person I even thought about"

"You're lying, you gotta be" Alex shook her head. "You're known to be a selfish person, Piper. It's hard to believe you would only think of someone else"

Piper was nearly on the verge of tears at this rate. This fight felt like their old ones. It never went anywhere and it felt like a never ending cycle. The yelling, finger pointing, cursing, all of it. Piper hated this. She loved Alex, but hated her at the same time.

There had only been a few select fights where Piper cried in the middle of. That's usually how Alex knew that this was serious. Piper cried of course, but not in the middle of a fight. She would wait until they were in different rooms and Alex didn't have to see her. It was the same way for Alex as well.

"I left my life here for you. I dropped my job, friends, family, it all for you" Piper's voice trembled. "How can you not believe I loved you?"

"To travel the world in a great luxury right?" Alex chuckled.

"No, I could give a shit less about where we were. I was young and I was so in love with you that I didn't give a shit about dropping it all. I'm still so in love with you that I would drop everything and do it all again!" Piper yelled.

Alex was silent. Her eyes left Piper's and just looked around the bathroom. She ran a hand through her hair and shook her head. There was no way someone could love her that much. No way in hell that person could be Piper.

Piper could be so self centered and such an activist. It was completely someone so different then Alex would ever want to be with. She always struggled with that.

Yes, Piper was beautiful. She was the most beautiful person Alex had ever laid eyes on. Not to mention that Piper was a devil in between the sheets. That was always a plus.

But, she never would want to fall for someone like Piper. It was hard to believe someone like Piper loved her this much. She never would want that, but she never wanted to love Piper either.

"I wanted you as my drug mule so bad" Alex said.

"The fight was just ending" Piper muttered in an annoyed tone and looked down at the sink.

"Let me finish" Alex said. "But for some fucking reason, you didn't let me have that. You had to be everything I wasn't looking for in a love way-"

"How do you think I feel? I was fucking straight!" Piper cut off; looking back at the woman.

Alex went to argue, but ended up laughing. That comment actually made the tension break because Piper couldn't help but grin as well. She always loved seeing Alex laugh. Especially when it was her making that happen.

"I'm trying to be serious, Piper" Alex laughed.

"Well it's true" Piper said. "And from what it sounds like, you're not going in a great direction with your words" Piper added.

"I wasn't looking for you. My girlfriend before you-"

"Crazy bitch" Piper muttered.

"She was everything I thought I wanted. Someone like me. But instead, I really craved the opposite. The activist, rich, blonde, innocent, self centered, ass-"

"Get to the good point if there is one, please" Piper sighed.

"I never wanted to love you. I never wanted you to love me either. But, it happened. Either way, we were going to end up here after it all. Prison and everything"

"So why does it matter if I'm still upset over prison? You're still upset I left"

Alex looked down and just took a deep breath. "You carried the drugs-"

"Oh my god, Alex. Just let it go" Piper said and turned on the water so she could brush her teeth. "I can't win today"

"Neither can I! I just, how can you be pissed off? It brought us back togethe-"

"I was going back to you eventually, Alex"

"No, no you were not. You were marrying Larry" Alex said.

"I was never going to really do that. You were living on my mind almost every moment. Awake and asleep" Piper said; putting the tooth paste on the tooth brush.

"Admit it, Piper. You would have never had the fucking guts to come back" Alex said.

"You got my drunken voicemails" Piper said before she started to brush her teeth.

Alex was silent for a second before nodding. "Yeah, they were something.."

"Yeah, drunk mind speaks a sober tongue or some shit" Piper said as she brushed her teeth. Luckily Alex understood her.

"I still don't think you would have ever came back" Alex sighed.

Piper finished brushing her teeth. She spit the tooth paste out before rinsing her mouth out with water. She spit the water back out and then looked at Alex.

"You're inevitable to me" Piper looked into the woman's eyes. "But fuck Alex, I'm still mad you sent me to prison with you. I will never not be upset over it"

"Great.." Alex muttered.

"But, I will always love you" Piper said. "So I would rather ignore the anger about that and focus on the fact we aren't there"

"I just don't think I can be here if you're still resenting me for it.." Alex said.

"Al-"

"Just, I'll text you with an update about the whole road trip situation. I gotta call Morello" Alex said and walked out of the bathroom.

Piper quickly followed her out; trying to get her to stay. But, Alex had grabbed her jacket and bag and left the apartment. The blonde just took a sigh; shaking her head. All she could think was

'How the fuck do we fix this?'


	9. Only Reason

The phone was held against Alex's ear as she walked down the sidewalk from the subway. The woman was calling Lorna Morello. An old friend she had in prison. Also the woman her roommate and best friend was in love with.

"Hello?" The voice asked.

"Hey, Morello. It's Alex"

"Alex! Hey, everything alright? You never really call, I mean we do sometimes, but not like this" Morello spoke. "Not that I'm not happy to hear from you!" She rushed after.

"Well, no everything isn't alright" Alex said.

"What's wrong?" Morello asked.

"Um, your witness protection program. It's failing" Alex said.

"My, wha- Oh no. No, no, no! How could you let her know?!" Morello yelled.

"You think I meant to?!" Alex yelled back. "Red told her and it just all unraveled. Piper didn't help of course, but she told me I should call you so"

"Red's out? Wait, Piper? What the fuck is going on over there?!" Morello exclaimed.

"Maybe you should fly out here and find out? Nicky is determined on a road trip to see you. Either way, Nicky is going to be seeing you soon" Alex rambled.

"Oh no," Morello sighed. "No, no, no"

"I'm sorry, alright? But, she needs closure with you in one way or another"

"That's Piper talking isn't it?"

"Sadly" Alex grumbled.

"Well, definitely it will not be closure. I mean Mark, I love the guy. But seeing Nicky?" Morello asked and got silent for a bit. "I'm gonna fly out"

"You are?" Alex asked a bit surprised.

"Yes, yeah. I just gotta get it past Mark and figure out a good set of days"

"Well, make it soon. She's on the move"

"Is Piper in Brooklyn?"

"What does that matter?"

"Mhm, so that's a yes" Morello said. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Alex sighed. "We've been fine all week, I stayed at her place last night, and then we fought this morning"

"What was the fight about?"

Alex for some reason had found it easier to talk with Morello. Over the last couple years, Morello had learned more about Piper then she ever thought she would. From the meeting her at the bar, all the way to now.

"She still is angry with me for prison. I'm still mad at her for leaving me when my mom died. The normal shit" Alex cursed.

"So? You two have always had that issue" Morello pointed out.

"Yeah, but I want this to work. I want us, and if we still hold grudges from years ago...how will we move on? How could we deal with future issues?"

"How do you know there will be future problems?"

"It's us, there will be" Alex said.

"Well I would love to discuss this more, but I'm going to look online for a plane ticket and figure out how long I'm staying"

"Well you know you already have a bed to crash on here" Alex said.

"Thank you, I'll let you know when I have more information. Don't let her do this roadtrip!" Morello said before hanging up.

The woman took her phone off her ear and opened up text messages with Piper. She was a bit disappointed to not see any messages from Piper. That was never like the woman.

After they used to fight in their relationship before prison, Piper always texted something when they weren't together. From a simple 'I love you, but you're such a fucking cunt' to a 'Fuck you, Alex'

But this time, there was nothing. She felt guilty because of the no text message. This time around must have really affected Piper. Alex didn't blame her if she didn't want to see her again. She brought that up out of no where at her.

Alex: Hey, just called Morello. She will be coming here. Just gotta make sure Nicky stays here. Might need your help.

Alex held onto her bag as she unlocked her apartment door. She walked in and was welcomed to see a mess of clothes all over. Pillows were thrown off of the couch as books were fallen off the shelf.

She let an aggravated sigh escape her lips. As if she needed another reason to stress and piss her off more today. The woman took her shoes off and threw the keys on the table by the door. She began to walk through; looking for signs of Nicky or a random one night stand.

Her phone buzzed in her hand though, so that distracted her for a minute.

Piper: Okay.

Alex: Talk later?

Piper: Why?

Alex: Well usually we talk after the day.

Piper: We just fought and you stormed out saying you didn't want to be with me basically.

Alex: Since when has that stopped us before? What is so different this time?

Piper: I'm just tired.

Alex: Bullshit.

Piper: Talk later. Busy.

Alex didn't bother to respond. Piper never acted like this after their fights. None of this was making sense to her. If anything, it was annoying her. She made a mental note to go to her place tonight and figure this out. But for now, she had Nicky to deal with.

"Nicky!" Alex yelled. "The fuck did I just walk into?" She added.

"Uh, hang on!" Nicky yelled back.

She heard a bit of shuffling which she assumed the woman was getting clothes on. If she even had any in there. All their clothes seemed scattered throughout the apartment.

The bedroom door opened to reveal Nicky jumping up and down as she got the skinny jeans on. Alex crossed her arms; glaring at the smirking girl.

"You were gone all night" Nicky smirked.

"Yeah, long night. Would have been nice to come home to not a disaster zone" Alex snarled.

"Sorry, I had a friend over. You actually know her" Nicky grinned.

"Who?" Alex asked.

Nicky grinned.

"Who?" She repeated.

Nicky did a small little bounce on her feet with a grin.

"Nicky, I had a long night. I want to shower and just get this place cleaned-"

"Straight girl" Nicky said. "Her straightness bends like pasta boiled perfectly-"

"Oh my god" Alex rolled her eyes.

"So open that wallet please!" Nicky smiled.

"After you clean my apartment and get her out" Alex said.

"What?! That wasn't apart of the deal!" Nicky exclaimed.

"What deal?" A voice asked from down the hall.

"Have fun" Alex mouthed. "Apartment cleaned by the time I get out from a shower and you get your money" She said before walking into her bedroom that had it's own bathroom.

She shut the door behind her and locked it so Nicky wouldn't barge in on her. It had happened a few too many times. Nicky had joked she saw Alex so many times naked that she had it memorized.

Alex put her stuff down and began to strip of her clothes. Her glasses placed on the bathroom sink next to her rings. She turned the water on and made it so it was a warm temperature before stepping in. The woman shut the curtain behind her and let the water drench her whole body.

The moment the water began to run down her back and hair; she felt the emotions roll with those water drops. She just began to let the silent sobs escape her lips and tears roll down her cheeks.

Everything sucked in that moment to her. Piper wasn't being, Piper. Piper was known to always be the one to force them to talk about their issues. She usually did that by now. Hell, Alex was waiting for Piper to barge in at any moment.

But, there was none of that. Alex was debating going back to her apartment or not. She wanted to. She wanted to show up and demand answers on why Piper was different. At the same time, she didn't want to. She didn't want to show that she regretted all her words.

Because, she didn't regret them. Yet, she did regret them at the same time. It was true that she felt if they couldn't get over past memories, what was the point? But, she loved Piper more then she thought loving someone was possible. She didn't want to lose her.

After a long shower mixed with thoughts and emotions, she decided to get out and get dressed. The woman hoped Piper would be out there, but she only heard Nicky cleaning up while having the TV on.

She got dressed and put her hair up into a messy bun. The woman took care of towels and cleaned up the bathroom mat. She turned the fan on to collect all the steam before exiting the room.

She opened her bedroom door to find her apartment was more organized then it was when she got home. The straight girl had left and Nicky was currently stacking books back onto the shelf.

"Do I want to know how that happened?" Alex pointed to the book shelf.

"Eh, probably not" Nicky chuckled.

"How'd it go?" Alex asked; walking into the kitchen.

"Good! She actually wasn't pissed off about the deal. She wants part of the money you give me" Nicky said.

"I think you found the girl you need right there" Alex said.

"I know, pay up" Nicky leaned against the kitchen island table; holding her hand out.

Alex sighed and pulled the money out from her wallet; smacking it in her hand. She glared at her for a second before walking back to the fridge.

"Where's blondie?" Nicky asked.

"Busy" Alex said.

"Doing what?" Nicky asked.

Alex shrugged in response as she grabbed a pan for some mac and cheese.

"You two are fighting already?" Nicky asked. "Should have seen that coming" She chuckled.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Alex asked.

"I've never seen two people love each other so much and never want to be together-"

"When did I say we didn't want to be together?" Alex cut her off.

"I didn't mean it that way," Nicky began. "You two just constantly find a thing to be pissed at each other over! It's like you're afraid of getting bored and not meant for each other"

There it was. Nicky was right on the ball with it. Alex in this moment hated her for that. It was true about the 'getting bored' part. The woman was scared of Piper getting bored. That was a big reason she picked a fight today. Also just because she was upset over her own mistake of bringing Piper along with her for prison.

She was scared of Piper getting bored a lot more lately. The woman didn't want her to ever get bored and leave. She thought that Piper would realize that Alex wasn't as amazing as she thought she was when they were traveling the world together. Maybe she would think that just living in an apartment with her wasn't enough.

Alex didn't think of that until Piper had fallen asleep in her arms last night. After their heavy making out, hands exploring all over, clothes being thrown, whispers and moans against each other for hours upon hours. Piper had fallen asleep in Alex's arms.

When she watched the woman's breathing pattern steady and Piper's grip on Alex loosened a bit, she began to wonder about their life. Could they just be okay living like normal people? Alex didn't seem like an interesting person to want to be with like she used to.

She used to travel the world, have amazing stories, and meet all kinds of people. For years, she had Piper with her for that. Alex introduced Piper to so many countries and parties, but also she introduced her to prison.

Alex felt pain each day for that. She regretted her decision to even bring Piper behind bars with her. Piper could have been living her best life. But, instead Alex was selfish and brought her down with her.

She knew Piper would always be mad. But for her own sanity, she just wished Piper told her she wasn't mad. Maybe then she wouldn't feel so guilty each day over it.

"You alive there? I'm hungry" Nicky spoke; snapping Alex out of her thoughts.

"Uh yeah, I'll make us lunch" Alex nodded and got back to work on cooking.

"Sounds good, I'm going to clean my sheets" Nicky chuckled before exiting the kitchen.


	10. Apologies

Her hand grabbed the glass cup that was just cleaned of the alcohol that was once in it. She used the towel that was on her shoulder to dry it off before placing it down back on the counter. The woman repeated this with each glass until she had no more to dry.

"What's on your mind there?" James, a frequent customer, asked.

James had been showing up before Alex even worked at the bar. He was around his thirties, had a black buzz cut, and wore his security officer suit each time. He was security for a local shop a few streets away.

"Huh?" Alex looked up at him.

"You hate drying the glasses" He pointed out.

"Slow day, keeping myself busy" Alex lied.

"Yeah, okay" He scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex asked.

"It's never been like you to keep busy on a slow day. You're usually just watching TV if it's a slow day" He said. "So, want to talk about why drying glass cups is so important? Or would you like to discuss the real issue you got going on?" He asked.

Alex sighed and just leaned against the back counter. Her arms crossed her chest as she just glared at the man. She knew she should talk to him. He always talked to her about his life situations. And, Nicky hadn't been around to talk to. She was busy seeing that straight girl any moment she could.

"This woman I fell in love with over 10 years ago, she's back. We talked all week, I saw her two days ago and stayed at her place for the night. But, we fought. I haven't talked to her in two days" Alex rambled together. "This isn't like her"

"What's more like her?" He asked; taking a sip from his beer.

"She usually is over at my place by now, blowing my phone up, or just trying to get in contact with me somehow" Alex said.

"And she isn't doing that?"

"No, not at all" Alex shook her head.

"You think she still loves you?" He asked.

"I mean, she said she does while we were fighting. So, I think so..yeah" Alex nodded.

"Do you still love her?" He asked.

Alex scoffed and just shook her head before answering. "She's the only woman I've ever loved"

"Just like I'm the only guy you've ever loved?" He asked; causing Alex to just roll her eyes.

"You're such a great help" Alex said.

"I'm kidding," He chuckled. "But, you think maybe she's waiting for you to go to her?"

Alex was silent for a bit. That sounds like something Piper would do. She just never gave that thought. She figured the woman wanted Alex far away from her, so she just kept her distance.

The last two days had been two of the longest days of Alex's recent years. Nothing would ever beat the long days she spent in prison after Piper left of course. But the awkward silence between the two had made the past two days seem long.

"Maybe" Alex shrugged.

"You should go to her" He said. "If you still want to be with her" He added.

"Yeah, I might when Blaze gets here. She's supposed to take the next shift" Alex said.

"Blaze is back?" He asked. "She know you're with someone else?"

Alex was silent. She just let her eyes focus on the glasses stacked neatly in front of her. The woman was dreading that Blaze was back in town. She had gone off to England for awhile because of family issues. Alex may have made a promise to wait for her.

The woman never told Piper, Nicky, or anyone about Blaze. She was someone Alex would never even want to be with. Plus, she hadn't talked to her in months. So she figured that she was staying in England for good. But instead she saw on the schedule that it was Blaze's shift next.

"No, and I intend to keep it that way" Alex said.

"You think that's a good idea?" He asked.

"What is?" The back door opened as a redheaded woman appeared.

She was tying her hair up into a bun as she stepped up behind the bar. Her and Alex caught each other's eyes for a moment before Blaze looked back at James.

"Nothing" Alex said.

"Hiding things again?" Blaze asked.

"And I have to get to work" James said; putting money down on the table. "Enjoy the rest of your day" He spoke before getting up and leaving.

Alex didn't blame him for that. She would have done the same thing he just did if she could. But, she knew there was no getting past Blaze as quickly and efficiently as she thought she would be able to.

"So, whatcha hiding now?" The woman asked as she began to wipe the bar counter down.

"Noth-"

"Always nothing" She laughed.

Alex felt irritation running through her veins already. She felt as if she took the fight with Piper for granted. She wanted to be with Piper still even after fighting, but Blaze? Blaze just annoyed her even more with every breath she took.

Blaze and Alex throughout their few month relationship had a few mishaps. Alex kept her past a very dark and locked secret from her. She had no idea who Piper was, she had no idea that Alex was ever in prison or a drug dealer. None of that was even a thing that entered Blaze's mind.

That being said, it caused a lot of fights to happen because Blaze knew Alex was hiding something. Alex just never broke and gave in to what she wanted. Instead, she would just keep denying and saying that she wasn't lying.

"I don't understand why you still can't tell me anything" Blaze spoke.

"My shift is about to end, I should go" Alex went to leave, but the front door opened.

The black haired woman turned to see Piper walk in. Every frustrated emotion she had in her body dissolved away. A sigh escaped her lips as their eyes locked together. Alex was put at ease just by seeing Piper. All she could think was how that still freaked her out, but she was so grateful for it.

"I was just about to get off work and go over to your place" Alex spoke softly; watching the woman walk up to the counter.

"Guess I read your mind because I did the same thing. But, Nicky told me you were here" Piper said; sitting down at the bar.

"Want a drink?" Alex asked.

Piper just gave a weak nod. Something was definitely up with the woman. For one, she never really showed up like this after they hadn't talked. Also, she was completely oblivious to the tension between Alex and Blaze.

"Anything in particular?" Alex asked.

"I went to work so, anything" Piper said; leaning her head against her hand.

"You're off I thought for two weeks?" Alex asked as she began to get a drink for the woman.

"I didn't know what to do with my free time and Red had to go pick up Lorna from the airport. So, I took over" Piper said. "Everything is falling apart. My staff don't know how to fucking get shit out to a table on time. The oven is broken again. Oh and on top of that, my parents are coming into town and want to stay at my place for the week!"

Alex's face dropped as she looked back at the woman. She switched from getting her a margarita to a vodka drink instead. Blaze was luckily over mopping the floor by the small stage where something had thrown up earlier at. So, they had the bar counter to themselves before people flooded in.

"Vodka it is" Alex nodded.

"Why is everything just falling apart, Alex?" Piper asked. "I mean, okay I get us fighting. That was inevitable. But my restaurant and now my parents want to be in my small apartment?! They have money to go stay in a hotel. I love them, but-"

"I know" Alex nodded; placing the drink down in front of her.

"I've only really been okay as an adult living with you. Larry, he annoyed me so bad. Living with Cal, I love him but there's only so many puzzles a girl can do. And my parents, they tell me everything! I'm never good enough for them!" She exclaimed before downing the drink in one shot. "Another" She said.

"What are you going to do?" Alex asked; pouring another drink for her.

"I don't know" Piper shrugged. "Part of me wants to tell them to fuck off. Another part of me wants to bring the perfect guy home and make it my parents dream home for me. And then everything in me is saying to just have you move in and show them my life. Fighting and all"

"I like the last idea" Alex grinned a bit; placing the drink in front of her again. "But, I have to make sure Nicky and Morello don't murder each other"

"Please, Al" Piper begged. "Only a week-"

"I plan on staying longer when we live together, Piper" Alex was blunt.

"Why would you live with her?" Blaze asked.

"Piss off her parents" Alex said.

"Uh huh, you look like a straight girl who would love to do that" Blaze chucked and held her hand out. "Names Blaze, don't fuck with Alex here. She isn't even that great in bed"

Piper snickered a bit at the completely random comment. Her eyes looked over to Alex who looks more annoyed then anything. But Piper hoped Alex knew that she was probably the best person in bed out of everyone ever.

"..Piper, my name is Piper" Piper said; shaking her hand and giving Alex a look of 'Get me out of this'

"I have to go and clock out. Plus, I have to take Piper home before she drinks our whole bar out" Alex said.

"Alright, can we talk later?" Blaze asked.

"Yeah sure, get a man on that" Alex said and signalled for Piper to follow her out back again.

Piper took the drink in one shot again. She left money on the table before staggering to her feet. She felt a bit dizzy from the speed of the alcohol coursing through her. Her hand held onto the counter and her head looked up to see Alex gone.

"Can you get Alex please?" Piper asked.

"I can help you if you want" Blaze offered and went to go around the bar counter to help her. "Alex isn't that good at handling a beautiful drunk girl like yourself"

Piper was barely drunk. If anything, she was just buzzed and should not have drank as quick as she should have. So that being said, she knew exactly what the woman's words were.

"Excuse me?" Piper asked.

"Beautiful-"

"No, about Alex" Piper said.

"That she isn't that good handling drunk people? It's true. I know her" Blaze spoke.

"Maybe she's not good handling others, but I'm not the others. I never have been" Piper smirked. "So can you please get Alex?"

"What do you mean? You're acting like some cocky bitch-"

"Oh, I'm allowed to be. Stop insulting her, understand?" Piper asked.

"Not insulting, just being honest" Blaze said.

"It's an insult when it isn't true. I would know what's honest about my girlfriend and what's not" Piper snarled.

"Oh! So that's why, okay, alright. Just so you know, Alex likes to hide secrets a lot. I guess you being her new girlfriend after me was one of them. And wow, she downgraded"

"Excuse me?" Piper asked.

"You're just a rebound, blondie. Don't get your hopes up. She's just a cunt-"

And that is what set Piper off the edge. The insult Blaze was making at Alex. From what had been happening in the past couple days, Piper's anger just kept building up. She felt anger boil up and saw the half beer bottle sitting on the counter.

Her hand grabbed it and next thing she knew, she was dumping beer onto the woman's head. Blaze yelped and started cursing Piper out. The back door opened to reveal Alex who was holding her jacket.

"Piper?!" Alex yelled.

"Oh shit, right. Forgot to say before I did that..." She said as she placed the bottle back down. A drenched Blaze stood in front of her in shock. Her eyes looking between her beer covered hair and shirt. "Never talk about my girlfriend that way again, understood?"

"You're just a rebound"

"If anything you were" Piper said and looked at Alex. "Can you help walk me out?" She asked.

"No! She can stay here and hope to hell she won't lose her fucking job!" Blaze yelled.

"I'm not losing my job" Alex stated. "And my shift is over. I need to get Piper home and deal with my roommate after"

"What the fuck am I supposed to do?!" Blaze asked.

"Listen, I've been in a worst state then you and still worked. We have to go now" Alex said; her arm wrapping around Piper's waist to hold her against her.

"Bye!" Piper smiled as they walked out; letting the bar door fall shut behind them.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Alex asked.

"She kept bad mouthing you!" Piper exclaimed.

"So?" Alex asked.

"So obviously I wasn't going to let her get away with it-"

"She's my ex, she's going to be pissed"

"I don't give a shit!"

"That's just the alcohol talking, Piper"

"It's not, Alex" Piper shook her head. "I don't get why you're so upset over me defending you"

"Because you just spilled beer on a co worker!" Alex exclaimed.

"Whatever, Alex" Piper sighed.

"I'm gonna call us a taxi" Alex sighed as she pulled her phone out.

The alcohol began to take it's toll on Piper. Her legs became a bit more like jelly which made her lean on Alex a bit more. The older woman held her up right though as she called for a taxi. Piper smiled a bit to herself as her mind became a bit foggy with the slight drunk feeling.

She was never one to be able to drink for a bit until she got a little drunk. Two drinks of the vodka mixed deink were enough to get her to the state she was in. But, her thoughts still were all about Alex.

As Alex was on the phone talking to the guy for a taxi, her other arm held Piper up against her. She was making sure the woman wouldn't fall and how tight she held her felt like she didn't want Piper to leave her arms ever.

The younger woman was smiling at the thought of that. Even on a drunk mind and their arguing, Alex made her smile more then the alcohol did.

"Alright, should be here in ten. Let's sit down on that bench" Alex spoke; walking them over to sit down.

"Okay!" Piper yelled out with a giggle causing Alex to sigh. She was already drunk. Alex knew she only had so much time before the alcohol had completely hit. But, she forgot how quick alcohol got into Piper.

"Wish alcohol didn't get to you so quick. I was going to talk to you.." Alex muttered.

"I'm not drunk, Al" Piper giggled.

"Your giggling says otherwise" Alex said. "You're staying at my place tonight. Morello is staying with Red and will be there tomorrow" She said outloud more for herself then anything.

"Alexxxxx" Piper giggled; resting her head on Alex's shoulder.

"Yes?" Alex asked.

"Alex" She repeated.

"That's my name"

"I know, it's such a nice name!" Piper said. "Alex, Al, Alllllexxx"

"Oh, drunk you is always adorable" Alex chuckled.

"I'm adorable drunk or not!" Piper said.

"I know you are" Alex said; giving a kiss on Piper's head.

"Hey! We're supposed to be fighting aren't we?" Piper asked.

"Your parents will be staying at your place for a week. I'll be treating you like a princess until that's over-"

"Shit!" Piper cursed.

"What? Bad idea?"

"No, your birthday is next week!"

"Babe, ign-"

"The moment I'm sober I am so planning you something!"

Just then, the taxi had pulled up and the guy beeped his horn. Alex waved as she got up; helping Piper up and walking her over. She got Piper in the vehicle first before going around and getting in herself. Alex gave him the address and felt Piper instantly fall back onto her shoulder.

"I'm tired" Piper mumbled.

"Well you worked all day and then quickly just drank two vodka drinks. So, that's understandable" Alex said.

Piper pushed herself up from off Alex's shoulder. Alex looked over about to question it. But, Piper moved Alex's arm up and laid back down. This time she was laying against her chest with Alex's arm wrapped around her.

"Where do you want to sleep? Couch or bed?" Alex asked; looking at the time. It was only about six in the evening, but both of them were exhausted from the day.

"Wherever Alex will be.." Piper said before falling asleep.


	11. Lunch Surprises

"I'm back! With coffee!" Nicky announced as she walked into the apartment.

"Shh! Piper is still sleeping" Alex hushed the woman.

"Still? It's almost ten in the morning" Nicky pointed out.

"I know, I'm going to wake her up. I was just waiting for you to bring the coffee. She's going to need it" Alex explained as she grabbed the coffee for Piper.

"Well good luck waking the bear. I'm going to take a shower before we go meet Red for lunch" Nicky said before walking away to the bathroom.

"Sounds good" Alex said before walking to her bedroom.

She opened the door slowly to see Piper was on her phone. Her body still tucked under the cover as a few pieces of her hair covered her face. The woman flicked her eyes over to see Alex.

"Hey.." Alex spoke softly; shutting the door behind her.

"Did we..?" Piper asked.

"Get home and fall right asleep? Yes, we did" Alex said.

"Well, when I wake up in your bed that usually means something else happened" Piper put her phone down and let her back stretch before sitting up.

"Not last night, you just were very cuddly instead" Alex chuckled.

Alex set the coffee down on the end table and then sat on the bed by Piper's legs. Her hand ran up and down Piper's thigh as their eyes locked together.

"My mother is already texting me about how she expects the apartment" Piper said. "This is just unbelievable" She shook her head.

"Because your mother is an insane woman" Alex said.

"Yeah, you think she would have taught me to stay away from insane women" Piper said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Alex chuckled.

"Well for some reason 23 year old me thought it was a marvelous idea to fall in love with a international drug dealer and then go to prison with her, and then still want to be with her after prison even though I'm still mad for it" Piper rambled.

"Wow, off to a great morning already" Alex muttered; resting her glasses on top of her head and then looking back at the woman.

"Do you love me?" Piper asked after a few moments of silence.

"You're the only woman-"

"Just tell me. Straight yes, straight no"

Alex looked into the woman's eyes and felt a lump in her throat. Saying directly how she felt when it came to strong feelings was never so simple. But, as she looked into those eyes and felt Piper so close to her. Seeing her in Alex's bed with her messy hair and listening to her groggy words. She did love her. And, she loved her for so much more then that.

"Yes, Piper. You know I love you" Alex said.

"Then why can't you live with the fact I'll be mad at you for something? You're still mad at me for leaving you when your mom passed" Piper said softly.

"Fuck, you got me there" Alex chuckled. "I just think it'll cause you to resent me or just finally decide one day you don't want to look at the woman who sent you to prison"

Piper sat up and moved her position. This time her legs were thrown over Alex's thighs. Her hands on the bed behind her to support her up. Their faces nearly inches apart from one another. The blonde's hair was messy as it was her bed head. Her eyes had a bit of a gray color around them signalling the tiredness she still felt.

"I love you, Alex. You're everything I wanted and everything I was never looking for. I didn't think my life would turn out the way it did. Hell, I'm still mad I had to go to prison which I'm pretty sure you're mad you had to experience too" Piper said.

"Yeah.." Alex just nodded and looked down. She felt guilty for getting herself in prison along with Piper.

"But, we had that together. There's memories from prison that I will cherish. From the time I really realized you were my soulmate to the time you surprised me with getting prison married" Piper chuckled causing Alex to chuckle as well. "So if you really think one day after all these years I'm just going to decide you aren't it, you're so wrong"

"And if you ever do?" Alex looked back at Piper.

"Just fuck me, it'll remind me" Piper grinned.

"You only love me because nobody makes you cum like I do" Alex whispered with a slight smirk.

"Maybe" Piper teased and leaned forward; placing their lips together in a small kiss. "So are we good?"

"Yeah, we're good" Alex nodded.

"Good because I am about to endure the week from hell. I'm going to need my girlfriend with me to survive it" Piper said and reached back for her coffee.

"Well first is lunch with Red. Nicky does not know Lorna will be there-"

"I get to go right?! I haven't seen Morello in so long. Oh my god, Alex ple-"

"I need a date, Piper. Yes, you're going" She laughed.

"I think my head cook will do good running the restaurant. I really need that two week break" Piper sighed.

"I can agree" Alex nodded.

"Just this time no matter if we fight, I will be in your face these two weeks" Piper said causing Alex to chuckle.

"Lucky me" Alex smirked.

"Hey not lesbians! We gotta get going in ten minutes!" Nicky yelled through the door.

"Will she ever find a new nickname?" Piper asked as she watched Alex put her glasses back down on the bridge of her nose.

"No, probably not" Alex sighed. "She's even going to call us that at our wedding" She chuckled.

"Is that a hint you're proposing soon?" Piper smirked.

"Not telling you when or where it'll happen" Alex shrugged as she got up.

"Oh come on, that's not fair" Piper said.

"You randomly proposed to me in a prison storage room" Alex chuckled as her body turned to look at her.

"Well, yeah but that was prison marriage. This is like, normal marraige" Piper said. "So I should know when you're going to propose so I look good"

"You always look good, babe" Alex gave her a kiss on her forehead before she started to walk out. "Think were leaving in about eight minutes now. So, you're going to want to get ready"

"Because you're proposing to me or..?" Piper got up watching Alex chuckle.

"Maybe, maybe not" Alex shrugged as she walked out of the bedroom to let Piper get ready.

"You sure this is smart?" Piper whispered to Alex as they waited in the lounge part of the restaurant.

Nicky had gone out for a cigarette as Red had said she would be a little late. Piper and Alex were sitting in the lounge area waiting for the table for five. The blonde was nervous about Lorna showing up. She wasn't sure how good of an idea it was to just spring this onto the woman who was so upset over her.

"Either way, she's going to flip. If we're in public and Red is there, she won't flip out right away" Alex said. "She knows Red would kill her" She added.

"I just don't want to overwhelm her" Piper spoke.

"Nicky? She's overwhelming herself with just herself. Morello won't add anything onto that" Alex chuckled, but Piper just rolled her eyes.

"Did you not sleep last night?" Piper asked.

"I got a few hours, why?" Alex asked.

"You don't make sense on a lack of sleep" Piper said.

"What do you mean-"

"Anything from Red? I wanna' get inside and order food" Nicky said as she walked into the lounge area.

"She'll be here soon, do you just want to go in now?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, we need a table for five though" Piper pointed out.

"But it's just us and Red" Nicky said.

"Um.." Piper hummed; turning to look at Alex. "She uh, Alex?" Piper asked.

Alex took a deep breath and gave a irritated look to Piper for pinning this on her. Her mind flicked through excuses and lies to avoid telling the truth. Finally after a few seconds, she landed on one.

"Red has a boyfriend!" Alex exclaimed.

"Yep! That's it!" Piper nodded.

"What?" Nicky asked.

"Yeah!" Both girls said in unison.

"But she woul-"

"Let's get inside!" Piper said and reached back to hold onto Alex's hand. "I heard this place has such good food, Al" She lied as she tried to change the subject.

"Isn't there like a code for restaurant owners not to go to other restaurants?" Alex entangled their fingers as they walked through the doors; being welcomed to the sounds of the busy restaurant.

"I mean, not to my knowledge. Is there a bar tenders code to not date their co bar tenders?" Piper asked.

"Ah, knew that jealousy wouldn't be hidden forever" Alex chuckled.

"Not jealous, just curious" Piper said.

"Jealous" Nicky and Alex both said causing an eye roll from Piper.

"Hi! Just you three?" The host asked.

"Actually we're going to be having two other's joining us" Piper said.

"Alright, table for five right this way. Follow me" He smiled and lead the trio past the bar and some tables.

Alex and Piper still held each other's hand as Nicky followed behind like a third wheel. But, Nicky didn't mind it. She liked seeing the two together instead of ignoring one another. It was less stressful to worry about tension issues between them anyway.

"Here you go" He said as he placed the menus down on the table.

The table was a corner booth that could fit six. Alex sat down on the left side as Nicky sat on the right. Piper was taking her jacket off and hanging it up on the hook. She then took Alex's and Nicky's jackets to hang it up as well.

"Your waitress will be with you shortly, her name is Alison. Hope you all enjoy" He said with a smile before walking away.

"Can you let Red know we're inside?" Piper asked Alex. "I need to use the restroom real quick"

"Jeez, Chapman. We were in prison together! Don't have to be so proper!" Nicky teased causing Piper to roll her eyes.

"Fuck off" Piper said.

"Yes, I'll let her know" Alex chuckled before Piper walked away.

"So, who is Red really bringing?" Nicky asked; watching Alex pull her phone out.

"Her boyfriend" Alex said as she texted Morello, letting her know they were inside already.

"You're ly-"

"I need your help" Alex sighed as she put her phone away.

Alex wasn't planning on bringing this topic up for a bit. But, she needed to change the subject so Nicky would stop pestering her. She wished Morello and Red would just get here so they could rip the band aid off, but of course they would be late to Alex's luck.

"With telling me the truth?" Nicky asked.

"No," Alex shook her head and looked around for any sign of Piper. "I need to go ring shopping soon for Piper. And I need help to think of a good place to propose to her"

"Holy fucking shit! You're serious?" She asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? You did marry us in prison" Alex chuckled.

"Because! I didn't really think you two would actually go through with it. But yeah, I'll help you" Nicky nodded.

"Help with what?" Piper asked.

"Telling me who Red is really bringing" Nicky quickly covered up.

"Her boyfriend, right Al?" Piper asked as she sat down next to Alex in the booth.

"Yeah" Alex nodded.

"God, you both are worse at lying about this then when you were fucking again" Nicky laughed.

"We're just companions" Piper smirked.

"Companions who happen to fuck occasionally" Nicky snickered.

"Red's here" Alex spoke; seeing the woman walking into the dining area.

"Over here!" Piper signaled as she waved her hand.

Red caught glimpse of Piper and nodded her way. Her head turned back to make sure the other woman was following. The two walked over; luckily Nicky didn't turn to look until they were standing at the table.

"So who is your lovely new bo-"

"Piper!" Lorna exclaimed.

Piper got up and instantly hugged the shorter woman. Both gushing about how much they've missed each other. Alex looked away to see Nicky looking dumbfounded at the woman. She didn't really look away. To Alex it looked as if she wanted to run, but Red sat next to Nicky so that didn't happen.

"Oh my god, look at you!" Piper said.

"Look at you!" Morello exclaimed.

The two pulled apart so they could sit down. Piper sat next to Alex and Morello sitting next to Piper. Nicky and Red were on the other side. The tension felt thick between them all as Morello finally looked at Nicky.

"Nicky.." Morello said.

"Lorna.." Nicky replied. "So, this is the supposed uh, boyfriend?" She asked.

"What?" Red asked.

"We may have lied-"

"Just a bit!" Nicky said in an annoyed tone; cutting Alex off.

"Well uh, isn't this fun?" Morello asked.

"Anything else anyone would like to tell me?" Nicky asked.

It was silent between the ladies. Morello kept her eyes locked on Nicky as Nicky looked anywhere else she could. All of them felt the tension thick in the air. Alex wondered if this was even a good idea.

"Well, Alex and I actually are not actually just companions.." Piper spoke causing Red to chuckle.

"No shit" She cursed in her Russian accent which made the whole group fall into a soft laugh.

The blonde felt relief that the tension was snapped away by her joke. She looked over her shoulder to Alex who still looked a bit stressed over the whole situation. She could see it in the way her eyes were gazing out into no man's land. But a small smile still on her face to blend in and act like it was all fine.

Piper had learned the way Alex was for over a decade now. Alex didn't want anyone to see when she was stressed, worried, upset, hurt, etc. She only really showed that side to Piper when they were alone.

So, she began to learn about when they weren't alone. It was small things that she was able to catch. The way her eyes wandered off showing she was thinking about something more then she should. But, she would let the rest of her body show that she was still engaged in the conversation so that nobody would catch something was off.

But, Piper did catch it. She caught that type of stuff well now. She was never able to read anyone else like she could read Alex. That was one thing that made it clear to Piper how head over heels she was for this woman.

As Lorna began telling some crazy story about her life outside of prison. Alex's smile faded. Now Piper could see all Alex felt was stress. She wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe it was because Piper's parents were traveling into town and Piper was trying to get Alex to live with her so she wasn't alone. Or maybe it was because Piper had poured beer onto Alex's co worker and ex the night before.

Piper wasn't entirely sure what she was stressed over. But, she hated seeing her in that state. So, she leaned back and gave a small kiss on the older woman's cheek. That had brought Alex back from her thoughts.

"What?" Alex mouthed.

"Nothing" Piper mouthed back with a shrug before turning her head back to the group at the table.

She felt Alex's hand on her lower back; rubbing back and forth which sent a warmth throughout her body. Piper took a deep breath and felt a bit more at ease just by the gentle touch. Both of them stayed content and just listened to Morello; enjoying the rest of their lunch out before their so proclaimed, 'Week from hell'


	12. Barbie

Piper was scrubbing her bath tub down in attempts to make it look spotless. Her parents would be at her house around dinner time and be there for the next seven days. The blonde was trying to clean every little thing she could before they got here. Her mother was always picking out something such as a dusty table when she went to either of her kid's house. So, Piper always felt pressured to make her apartment perfect.

"On your hands and knees? You're only usually in this position with me" The raspy voice chuckled in the doorway causing Piper to jump and looked behind her.

"Fucking hell, Alex" Piper sighed. "Ever heard of knocking?"

"Well I figured if I'm moving in, I don't need to knock" Alex said.

"You're really moving in?" Piper asked sounding upset.

"Thought you would be a little more happy over this" Alex said.

"No, I am. Just, don't make a mess. I've been cleaning all night"

Alex dropped her playful smirk as Piper turned back around to scrub the bathtub more. She knew this version of Piper and dreaded seeing this version each time it came back. The woman became very overwhelmed and stressed with a bit of panic to that. Her words would be vicious and stammered as her thoughts would be scattered. She only thought about what to do to make her parents think she was perfect.

The older woman took a deep breath and put her bag down on the floor. She walked over; sitting down on the edge of Piper's bathtub. The blonde didn't even glance up. If anything, she scrubbed the tub harder.

"Piper.." Alex said softly.

"Yes, Alex?" She asked; attitude covering her voice.

"Did you get any sleep after you left last night?" She kept her tone soft and not too pushy.

"No time, I had to dust and mop all the floors. Plus all my blankets and pillows needed to be washed" Piper said. "They'll he here by dinner time and I still need to prep for dinner-"

"We can just order take out" Alex suggested.

That made Piper flip her head up and glare at the older woman. If Alex had just met this woman, she would have ran out of the apartment from the glare. But it didn't phase her at all when she threw the glare at her because Alex knew this version. It wasn't her favorite, but she knew how to handle this.

"Take out?" Piper asked through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, you know...maybe something like Chin-"

"Alex, do you know my family at all? We never do, take out" Piper said.

"Awe, there's my spoiled rich girl I've missed" Alex faked a smile which she swore sent steam out of Piper's ears.

"Fuck you, Alex" Piper shook her head and went back to scrubbing. "You of all people should know my parents wouldn't be okay having take out for dinner"

"How should I know? I've never really met them"

"Because Alex you have heard me talk about them for-" Piper cut herself off and let her head snap back up in fear to the older woman.

Piper's face had dropped. Her eyes open as her jaw was dropped. The skin color turned a pale white which caused Alex to become a bit nervous.

"What?" Alex asked.

"You never have really met my parents, oh no" Piper said and threw the scrub down before standing up.

She started to pace back in forth in the bathroom. Her hands on her hips as she started to stress about how her parents had only heard about Alex. They had never really met Alex or even knew what she looked like.

"Piper.." Alex said in a calm voice.

"Okay so we need to get you different clothes which means we need to go shopping and-"

"Hey, hey" Alex said and stood up.

She cut Piper's path off and grabbed onto her arms. Alex had a grip on her arms for a second before loosening just a bit, but her hands still holding her. She searched for Piper's eyes and finally they met Alex's.

They were filled with stress and fear. Anxiety coursed through her as she was in the realization the love of her life for the last years and the woman she went to prison with had never met her parents.

"What? What?!" Piper exclaimed.

"I'm not changing into a different person to meet your parents. Of course I'll keep the sarcasm and cursing to a minimum, but I'm not changing my entire self" Alex explained.

"You don't understand, Alex" Piper sighed.

"No, I don't. Why would you want me to change?" Alex asked.

"Because my parents won't shut up if they see me with you" Piper said. "My apartment is already small, I don't have a good enough job, I went to prison, and my dad still won't talk to me. You would just add onto all of that!"

Alex took a deep breath at the words the blonde just spoke. She wanted to be pissed off at her. The kick in her gut and the tug at her heart told her to either curse her out or storm out, maybe even both. But, she knew Piper was just stressed over her parents.

"Okay, I know that this is just the physco in you talking. But, I'm not changing my entire self for your parents" Alex said.

"Well then don't bother staying" Piper slipped from Alex's grip and went back to her knees so she could clean the tub.

"Figured I could be a cook for you at least" Alex said.

"My private cook?! Oh that's a goo-"

"No, Piper! I mean your girlfriend that cooks you dinner. Normal people shit!" Alex yelled.

"Then do that, but don't expect them to like it. They only like gourmet shit" Piper said.

"I wouldn't expect them to like something I've touched" Alex spoke.

"Yeah, I'm a great example" Piper chuckled."They liked me before you" She made her point clear.

"Yeah, that's common with a lot of the girls I've been with" Alex snarled before walking out of the bathroom.

Piper took a deep breath before just scrubbing the tub floor harder. There was a voice in her head telling her she was being a bit unreasonable, but then the constant reminder of her parents showing up over rided it.

She needed every small detail of her life to be perfect. No rough edges, no relationships that could be questioned, and everything must not even have a dust particle on it. Just the way her life was growing up.

Everything in her life growing up was perfect. Her parents hired a maid to keep their house clean, her mom and dad both had amazing jobs, Cal and Piper were both dressed nicely and expected to have high grades. Every little thing had to be perfect growing up. That's what her parents expected.

Alex wasn't someone who you could be in a relationship and not be questioned by parents like Piper's. Especially with the history of prison and the fact that things were hidden from them while she was with her. So the fact her parents only knew about her through a grapevine rather then knowing her from Alex herself made everything worse.

A sigh was heard behind Piper minutes later which made her turn her head slightly over her shoulder. She saw the black brunette leaning against the door way with her arms crossed against her chest.

"Yes, Alex?" Piper asked.

Another deep breath was heard from the older woman. It was clear she was agitated and didn't want to be there that moment. Even if Piper couldn't find it in herself to say it right then, she was so thankful Alex didn't leave.

"Does lasagna work?" Alex asked. "Or is that not something gourmet enough for you?" The words fell from her mouth covered in attitude.

"I think it's fine, can't promise they will" She shrugged.

"Piper, they're going to hate me. They're going to hate everything while I'm here-"

"Then why are you here?" Piper cut her off.

"Because you wanted me to be here! I could be back at my place making sure Lorna and Nicky don't destroy my entire home! But I'm here playing pretend with you!" Alex yelled.

"What do you mean pretend?" Piper got up to face the woman.

The blonde ripped the rubber gloves off and threw them on the sink. She placed her hands on her hips as both of them were glaring into each others eyes. One had her arms crossed and glasses on her forehead. The other had hands on her hips with messy hair. Both knew they didn't look pretty, but the emotions they felt covered that.

"Playing house and acting as if this is our perfect little life"

"Because it has to be-"

"No! No, it really fucking doesn't!" Alex laughed. "Your parents show up what? Once in a fucking blue moon? Your father is still not talking to you, Piper. What does this whole being perfect for them matter anymore?!"

"Do you think I like not having my father talking to me? Do you think I like having to put this perfect little image on?" Piper asked. "Because I don't, Alex. But it's what I have to do. Cal is already someone they don't want to be associated with and their only other child is me"

"So let them figure that out!" Alex said.

"What?" Piper asked.

"Let them figure out that if they want to be associated with you, they will. You shouldn't have to be a barbie for them to want to be around you or your brother" Alex explained.

"It isn't that simple, Alex" Piper shook her head and turned to get the gloves off the sink.

"Why?" Alex asked.

"Your mom was never like this. You don't understand" Piper said and went to leave the bathroom, but Alex cut her path off.

"I was an international drug dealer. I understand feeling as if you failed as a child" Alex said.

"Yeah but you didn't have your sibling already living a life your parents don't approve of. You were an only child" Piper battled.

"Even if I was an only child, I feel like that pressure would be insanely ten times more" Alex said.

"Yes but-" Piper cut herself off as she let the words register in her head. "Wait, what? If you were? What does that mean?"

"I have a younger sister" Alex said.

"You what?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, this isn't really new" Alex chuckled.

"To me it is! How come you've never told me this?" Piper's soft voice returned.

Alex felt a bit of relief off her shoulders knowingthat her Piper had returned for a bit. The insane Piper that was here a second ago was gone for now. That would be until she realized her parents were still on their way and it would probably send her into that crazy state once more. But for now, Piper was back to herself.

"I don't know" Alex shrugged. "Never came up in conversation?" She put as question more then a answer.

"Al, we've had so many conversations. It had to have come up at least once" Piper said. "Who is she? Where is she?" She fired the questions which just made Alex tense up a bit it seemed.

"I have no idea" Alex was truthful.

"How old is she?" Piper asked.

"Gotta be late twenties by now maybe?"

"Twenties?" Piper was a bit shocked at the age difference.

"Yeah, my parents decided it was fun to hook up and then boom. She was an accident and she's fully aware of that" Alex just let another sigh escape her lips. "I made her fully aware of that"

"What?" Piper asked.

"I was in my teen years when she was born. My mom had a string of guys in and out the door and one of them was my dad. I thought they were back together, but no. Just a casual hook up and then she was the outcome. So, I was pissed" Alex explained herself.

"Alex, I'm so sorry" Piper looked into the older woman's eyes.

"It's fine, Pipes" Alex said in a whispering tone.

"Do you ever want to see her?"

"Well yeah," Alex chuckled. "But, I would have zero clue where to look"

"That's why there's social media," Piper said. "I mean, I know you're old and it might not be-"

"You really want to complete that sentence?" Alex asked; watching the small teasing smile grow on Piper's face.

"What?" Piper asked in a innocent voice. "Just saying, older people like you don't always remember that social media exists"

"Older people?" Alex asked. She couldn't help but have a smirk grow on her own face to match Piper's.

"Yeah, your generation" Piper said.

"You are only a few years younger then me-"

"Not my point" Piper cut her off. "We should look online and find her, Alex" She went back to a serious tone.

"Huh, for once I want you to go back to your pretend barbie life self" Alex said.

Piper playfully smacked Alex's upper arm with the gloves she used to clean the apartment. Alex faked being hurt which caused Piper to just roll her eyes with a chuckle.

"Do you have everything I need to make lasagna?" Alex asked; putting her glasses back on the bridge of her nose.

"I should," Piper began. "If not then-"

"I'll figure dinner out. Don't stress it. I just wanted to know if you had stuff" Alex said.

"Alright, you know I love you right?" Piper asked. "Because Barbie me is bound to return. They'll be here by six tonight"

"Mhm, you're lucky I know how to handle your barbie self" Alex said and pushed herself off the door way to walk to the kitchen.

"Guess so" Piper whispered as she watched Alex walk down the hall; taking a right turn which made her disappear from her eye sight. "When can I marry you?" She called out.

"You don't get to propose in the normal people world!" Alex called out back.

"Whatever.." Piper grumbled with a smile; disappearing back into the bathroom to keep cleaning before her parents arrival.


	13. Left Before We Even Ate

"Shit, I didn't dust my balcony table. Oh my-"

"Pipes, take a breather. It's freezing outside. They're not going to want to sit outside" Alex reassured the woman.

Piper's mom had just called her not too long ago that their plane had landed and they were on their way over. They were taking a taxi down to Piper's apartment building and then staying for a week before going home.

"You don't know her, Alex. She's going to want to see every small thing be cleaned-"

"Would you like me to put a table cloth over it?" Alex kept her voice calm even if the blonde was driving her insane.

"No, she'll tell me that's wrong too" Piper shook her head as she went to go dust the table, but the buzzer was heard.

The blonde quickly turned to face the door where the speaker was. She had to buzz people into the apartment building if they didn't have a key. Piper had given Alex a key so she could just welcome herself in at any time.

"Deep breath" Alex said; watching her walk towards the buzzer.

"Breathing patterns don't ever work" Piper muttered before pressing the button. "Hello?" She asked.

"Piper! Honey, it's your mom. Your father and I are here" She spoke.

"Alright, I'll buzz you in" Piper said and then hit the buzzer button to unlock the door.

She stepped back and ran a hand through her hair. Her feet started to pace back and forth across the floor. As she was walking with her back to Alex, two hands that were not hers were placed on her hips.

"Hey," Alex whispered against Piper's ear. "It's going to be fine. This place looks like it jumped out of HGTV" She chuckled.

Piper stopped pacing and just let her body melt into Alex's grasp. She took her hands and placed them over Alex's to feel her grip she had on Piper. It made her feel safe and secure. After all these years, nobody had made her feel so safe.

Someone could be pointing a gun at them right now, but Piper wouldn't flinch. She trusted Alex with her entire life. Maybe that was because of their past.

How Alex protected Piper when they were in trouble with any of Alex's bosses. The way she protected her was by hiding Piper behind her, or telling her to go home early. Piper would act as if she didn't know why she had to leave early, but she knew.

It always scared her when Alex said those words. The older woman would buy her a plane ticket and by the time Piper was out of the shower, Alex had packed her bag and everything for her. She remembered those moments to be very rushed and just scary. Piper didn't know if she would see Alex again after those moments.

"Do you want me to go wipe down the balcony table?" Alex asked after she felt Piper still a bit tense in her embrace.

"Please?" Piper gave a weak nod.

"On it" Alex chuckled and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek before walking away to wipe down the balcony table.

Just then, there was a knock at the apartment door. Piper took a deep breath and took one more glance at the woman walking out onto the balcony. She convinced herself that it would be fine and maybe her parents would be more accepting then ever. But, she always hoped for that.

"Hey!" Piper smiled as she opened the door.

"Piper!" Her mom smiled and reached out to give her a hug. Her father stayed silent and just looked uncomfortable.

"Hey mom" Piper said before she pulled away. "So good to have you here!" She lied. "Please, come in!" She added as she opened the door wider for them to walk in.

They walked in the apartment and Piper shut the door behind them. She was waiting for her mother to make a comment. Usually her father was the one to save her from the snarky back handed remarks. But, he hadn't talked to Piper since she was in prison.

"Wow, this is small!" Her mom chuckled.

Piper took a deep breath and just nodded.

"Yeah, well I'm not really here much. Running the restaurant and everything, I kinda' live there" Piper explained.

"Uh huh" Her mom just nodded as she walked around.

Her father sat down on the couch and turned the TV on. It was the news, but he switched it to some golf game. Piper always hated golf. It was so boring and that was only what seemed to be ever played on TV as she grew up.

The balcony door opened and her mother quickly turned to see Alex walk in the apartment. She shut the door behind her then turned to see Piper and her mother looking right at her.

"Who is this?" Her mother asked.

"Mom, Dad, this is Alex.." Piper smiled through the nerves.

"It's very nice to meet you both" Alex smiled.

Tension was felt in the air like you could feel gravity. It was just ten times stronger then that. Piper's mother glared at Alex, her father just looked at the TV oblivious to it all. Piper was nervously standing between her mom and Alex. She wanted this to just be over.

"So," Her mother began. "You're the one who put my daughter in priso-"

"Alright! Dinner is almost re-"

"No, Piper. It's going to have to be talked about at some point" Alex cut her off. "So yes, I am the reason she went to prison"

"You ruined my daughter's life, you know that right? She could be living in a mansion right now, but she's here in such a tiny apartment running a small disgusting restaurant that probably doesn't pay the bills at all!" She yelled. "Not to mention I had to help her after you broke her heart! God, I was hoping you would never go near her once more. But yet here you are. You know, it takes a lot of guts for a disgusting piece of trash like you to.."

"Mother" Piper spoke.

"Even think about coming around here and.."

"Mom," Piper said, but her mother kept speaking until Piper yelled. "Mom!" She yelled.

"And-" She cut off and looked at Alex. "Piper can this wait?" She asked.

"What?! No! No, you can't just come into our apartment and start shit talking the woman I love!" Piper yelled.

Alex raised her eyebrows as she was a bit shocked at Piper's outburst. She definitely didn't expect it, but she wasn't complaining about it either. She loved that Piper was willing to defend her. Especially against someone like her mother.

"Wait, you're living with her?" She asked. "Not that it makes a difference. It actually makes this worse! How could you not tell me? I do not, and repeat do not want to be under the same roof as this person who destroyed your life"

"Then leave" Piper said.

"Excuse me?" She asked.

"I'm not kicking, Alex out. She lives here and we are engaged and if anyone can leave here because of an issue, it's you" Piper said.

She knew it was a partial lie. Alex wasn't fully moved in, but they knew they would be living together eventually. And for the engagement? Well, Alex knew she would be proposing in the upcoming days. Especially after hearing Piper say these words. She wanted to get a ring and propose as quick she possibly could.

"Alright, fine. We're leaving. This place is a dump anyway" Her mother spoke. "Let's go, Bill" She said.

"This place isn't a dump" Alex spoke up. "And Piper's restaurant is the best this city has to offer. It's a fucking shame you can't see how amazing your daughter is doing just because of mistakes she's made before" She said.

"You have made! Mistakes you have made! She didn't choose-"

"I did," Piper said. "I carried the drugs. She would have never forced me to in a million years" She said.

The words between the three came to a stop. It was now silence between them and the only sound was the golf game playing in the background. Piper's mother, Carol, was astonished at the words her daughter spoke.

Alex though was close to just making out with Piper right then and there. She hadn't heard Piper really confess finally that it was her choice. Piper has said it in between the lines. But, she never really said it clearly that it was her choice to Alex or at least in front of her.

It was a moment that Alex knew would break down a wall of tension that stood between them. They still had a few others that they just would use sarcasm and small arguments to get through. But this one was now destroyed and gone.

"Why?" Her father broke the silence. "Why would you do something so stupid?" He asked; never turning his head to look at his daughter.

Piper was a bit stunned her father was talking to her. She was happy he was even if the topic wasn't one she would prefer to speak on.

"Because, Alex needed the help. Just like you would need Cal and I to help advertise your store-"

"That wasn't illegal and didn't involve drugs, Piper" He stated.

"But Cal and I helped you because we loved you and didn't want to see you fail. It was the same thing for me with Alex.." She explained.

"Fail?" He asked and turned his head to look at Piper. "You fail the moment you touch anything illegal. Especially such as drugs" He said.

"It doesn't matter anymore though, Dad" Piper sighed. "We're not doing that anymore. We both have good jobs and.." Piper let her eyes wander to Alex.

She just looked at the woman for a second. The way their stances were both identical. Both had hands on their hips and a tilt to their stance showing both of them were annoyed.

Piper was told by a some lady years ago what this was called. It was mirroring. When two people love each other and fall onto some sort of same wavelength, they start to copy each other without knowing they do. From small gestures such as a hand running through hair. To using the same kind of words as each other.

She was told that in Italy after they had spent over a year traveling together. Piper knew at that point that she was completely and totally in love with Alex. So when she heard that, it stuck with her for life. She compared it to any relationship she had after Alex and it never related to anyone else.

So seeing her just in the same stance and annoyance made her smile a bit. She loved this woman so much to the point that she didn't care what her parents thought of her anymore. She didn't care what her parents thought of Alex. Piper could be okay without her parents around once in a blue moon. She could be okay not being the ideal daughter. As long as she had Alex, it was okay.

"I'm going to marry her. Not prison marry, I'm going to really marry Alex. And if you both would like to support that, we will be happy to have you both around. If you are going to just talk bad about our relationship, you know where the door is" Piper said as she gestured to the door.

Silence fell again, this time with rummage of bags. Her parents had both grabbed their bags and said nothing. Piper held the tears back as they left the apartment. The front door opened and then slammed shut to leave Alex and Piper alone.

"You okay kid?" Alex asked in a soft husky tone.

"As okay as anyone can be after their parents just walked out from their life.." Piper muttered as she ran a hand through her hair.

The blonde walked over towards the couch. She started to look for the remote to turn the golf game off. Piper didn't want to hear it. She was hurt enough her parents just walked out on her like they did. So just hearing something her father left on made her annoyed to no end.

"You didn't have to kick them out like that. You know I can handle insults" Alex pointed out.

"But I can't, Alex. It's fucking ridiculous they were acting like that at you the moment they walked in" Piper said.

She finally found the remote and turned the TV off; throwing the remote down on the couch. Then she faced Alex once more, this time with a more hurt look on her face that was too difficult to hide.

"It's just," Piper said with a crack to her voice. "How could they just walk out like that? It's not like I'm marrying Hitler!" She said.

Her eyes began to water as her words were shakey. Alex quickly walked over and engulfed the younger woman in a hug. Piper stuffed her face into Alex's shoulder; letting sobs escape from her.

She loved Alex and wanted to be with her till death to them part. But, watching her parents walk out like that still hurt. It still made her heart crack a bit and her stomach sink.

"I'm sorry Pipes, but I mean...in a way, you're marrying Hitler" Alex said.

"Shut up" Piper chuckled through her sobs.

Alex chuckled that deep raspy one which always made Piper go weak. It was always such bliss hearing the chuckle. What was better was Alex's laugh. It was so charming and something you wanted to hear more of. And Alex's voice itself? Well, anyone knew that was a drug in it's own way. Highly addictive and extremely dangerous.

"It's going to be okay though," Alex returned to a calm voice. "I never thought I would be able to live not seeing my mom. Especially knowing the only parent I had left was my father. That's just a horror film thought" She said. "But I am, and you'll be able too as well. I promise" She whispered.

"I know I can, it just hurts.." Piper muttered into her shoulder; holding into Alex a bit tighter.

"And it won't ever not hurt" Alex said.

"God, I love the way you make me feel better" Piper said sarcastically; lifting her head back up to look into Alex's eyes.

Alex had a small smile as she caressed Piper's cheek. She gave her a small soft kiss that lingered a tiny bit, but both eventually pulled apart.

"I'm not sure what the second part to that was" Alex whispered causing Piper to start giggling like crazy.

"Of course you don't!" She laughed.

"I mean, okay, maybe you have a girlfriend that knows what you like in bed for the rest of your life?" Alex asked.

"Fiancee" Piper corrected.

"I haven't proposed yet" Alex pointed out.

"We already act like we're married, Al" Piper said.

"Doesn't matter, I'm going go propose" Alex said. "Also I made us a fucking gourmet dinner for them to just walk out, so really who is the victim here huh?" Alex asked knowing it would cause Piper to chuckle again. Which, it did.

"Oh your poor gourmet dinner they would have hated. I bet it's lonely" Piper said.

"Maybe we should have dinner then? We can watch golf" Alex suggested.

"Oh fuck off" Piper rolled her eyes as she walked away towards the kitchen with Alex following.

"What? Just suggesting a nice night" Alex smirked.

"A nice night would be taking a shower together" Piper said.

"Piper," Alex groaned. "Water is not a lube! How many more times are we going to argue about this?" She asked; leaning her hip against the counter as she crossed her arms against her chest.

"Come on, please? My parents just walked out on my life" Piper tried pulling a guilt trip.

Piper walked up to Alex and uncrossed her arms. She wrapped them around her waist; placing Alex's hands on her bottom. She kept her hands over Alex's and leaned in a bit towards the older woman's face.

"Last time we did we got wrapped in duct tape and I got my arm broken" Alex pointed out.

"Thanks for that memory, Al" Piper sighed and just slipped from Alex's grasp once more.

"I'm sorry," Alex chuckled, but no response from Piper as she just continued to get her food. "Babe, come on"

"I really didn't need that memory on top of what just happened" Piper turned to her.

"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't think that one through" Alex said; walking up to her. "So yes, I will shower with you"

"I know, sucks to be you. Having to see me naked in a shower must suck" Piper said.

"Don't twist my arm" Alex said and grabbed a plate to get food. "Wouldn't want to be forced to ever have to make you cum" She smirked. "It would be awful"

"Why? Because you lost your touch?" Piper smirked.

"Beg to fucking differ, the other night says otherwise" Alex relayed with a scoff.

"Are you hungry?" Piper asked; putting her plate down on the table.

"Depends on what for-"

"I think you know what for, Alex"

"Really? The shower?" Alex asked. "I will for you, just, it's not lubricant"

"Lock the doors, I'll meet you there" Piper smirked and started to disappear towards the bathroom.

"Is it safe to have sex in there with the amount of bleach you used in the tub?" Alex asked; walking towards the front door to lock it.

"Guess we will have to find out!" Piper yelled back.

Alex walked to the balcony door and locked in; shutting the blinds after. She chuckled a bit at Piper's response with a shake of her head. As she walked down the hallway and opened the bathroom door to see Piper taking her clothes off. All she could think was how lucky she was in life.


	14. Vulnerable

"You sure you're okay with me going home today?" Alex asked her girlfriend who was straightening her hair.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Piper asked. "Not like I'll never see you again. It's like I'm cursed with seeing you again" She chuckled.

Alex smirked slightly at that. She watched as the heating part of the straightener moved down the medium length blonde hair. Piper had been thinking if she should grow it out to the length she once had it back in her early 20s. But, then she fought against it and how much of a hassle to keep up with it would be.

The older woman of course just looked up from her book; giving a small shrug. She would comment on how Piper looked beautiful either way and then add a remark on how messy her hair could get in bed.

"If anyone is the cursed one here, it's me" Alex chuckled and kept talking before Piper could."But, it was only a few days ago your parents acted the way they did"

"And you've been by my side twenty-four seven since" Piper met Alex's eyes in the bathroom mirror. "Trust me, I'm fine. I'm going to meet Cal for lunch today" She said.

"I know, I'm just worried Pipes" Alex confessed.

Piper finished straightening a strand of her blonde hair. She put the straightener on the counter and turned to face the woman behind her. She loved how Alex showed such a soft and caring side. It was an extra perk of being the woman that Alex had fallen for. She had gotten this personality side of Alex others rarely saw.

How Alex's eyes lost that glimmer of sparkling lust and sarcasm. It was replaced by a not so dull, but calming tone. Her eyes became soft and wandered off easily. It was always like Alex didn't want to look too long at what she was vulnerable for because it would reveal a side she hated showing.

But, Piper knew Alex was vulnerable. At least to her she was. The amount of shit the two had been through a little over the last decade made Piper wonder why Alex still didn't want to show she was vulnerable. It wasn't like it would make Piper want to leave. If anything, it made her want to stay.

"Alex, I'm fine" She said; looking into the older woman's eyes that showed the soft tone. "And I love that you're worried and you know I love you. But, we've been up each other's ass non stop these last few days"

"I know, I can't get rid of you" Alex chuckled.

"Me?" Piper couldn't help but grin like an idiot at that. Her feet walking towards the woman who was sat on the edge of the tub. "You're the one staying at my place asking if it's okay you leave. I have you wrapped around my finger, Vause" Piper grinned.

"You fucking wish, Chapman" Alex whispered before placing her lips against the other woman's. Piper was the one to pull away and walk back to her straightener, but Alex was the one to talk first. "I need to make sure my place is in one piece anyway" She added.

"Speaking of your place," Piper began. "Do you want to live together there? I mean, you know I don't care where we live. I just want to live with you"

"I think I'll leave the place for Nicky until she gets her own place. Or I'll let her pay me rent for it once she can" Alex spoke. "I was actually thinking you and I could find our own place"

"That isn't here?" Piper gestured to the floor.

"The floor? No-"

"Alex" Piper said. A hint of annoyance to her tone.

That was one of Alex's favorite ways Piper said her name. It was with a small smile Piper didn't want formed on her face. But also with a tone of annoyance and amusement. She wanted Alex to be serious, so she would simply just say the woman's name.

It always made Alex chuckle slightly. Mainly because she was amazed that she wasn't pissed off someone tried to reel her away from sarcasm just by a name. It was probably because it worked though that made her amazed at the affect the younger woman could have on her.

"Yes, that isn't here. I was thinking we could look at places for us like we always did in Litchfield" Alex explained with a chuckle. "Unless you want to live here-"

"No, I really like that" Piper grinned as she took a few steps over back to the woman. "Then maybe we can adopt cats and be lesbians. I hear if you have more then two, you're definitely a lesbian now" Piper said; feeling Alex's arms wrap around her to hold her close.

"Oh? Is that so?" Alex hummed. "And if you have less then two?"

"I think that means you're straight" Piper said; letting her arms wrap around Alex's neck. It felt weird being taller then her, yet it still felt like Alex had the hold on her. "And two I think is questioning"

"So you need one cat, I need more" Alex said.

"Usually a comment like that would piss me off, but at least I wouldn't be the crazy cat lady" Piper shrugged.

"Says the one telling me how many cats I need for my sexuality. Where would you get knowledge like that anyway?" Alex asked.

"I don't know, some article Cal sent to me" Piper shrugged.

"Your brother is a real charmer" Alex laughed.

"It'll definitely come up in conversation at lunch about how many cats I plan to have" Piper couldn't help but laugh herself.

This felt so easy to both of them. The flow felt so natural and like no time apart was ever spent. The way Alex's legs opened for Piper to stand between them, how her arms held the blonde close, made this so natural. Piper felt if she was in this position with anyone else, it would feel too stiff and Piper wouldn't feel she could be herself.

Alex felt content like this as well. She didn't have plans for the future still which drove Piper absolutely insane. But, what Alex once feared was now her most prized possession. That was just being like normal people.

Having a job that isn't illegal and staying with just one person. The black haired woman never saw herself to be any of this. A woman who looks forward to coming home at the end of the day to the same person for the rest of her life.

It makes her sound like some sort of womanizer that she never saw herself in this state. But, that's exactly not what it was. Alex feared love her entire life. Watching her mother heartbroken after her father left her made Alex shiver at the idea growing up. Love is pain. That's all Alex really knew.

Piper taught her otherwise though on how it wasn't just pain. Sometimes, a lot of the time, it was beautiful. The connection you could have with someone that you don't with anyone else. The way you can tell what the other is feeling just by the glimmer in their eye or the slump of their shoulders. Love was like a beauty fish at the same time it was pain.

"You still in there?" Piper asked; seeing that Alex went silent and just drifted off into no man's land.

"Yeah" Alex nodded; beginning to rub Piper's lower back softly. She gave a small smile and leaned up to give Piper a tender, loving kiss.

"What was that for?" Piper giggled as the woman leaned back down to sit on the bath tub edge comfortably.

"I just really love you, kid" Alex said the nickname that Piper adored.

Kid.

Such a simple nickname that anyone could use. It was a nickname people could find offensive in ways. But, Alex only used it on Piper. Piper took notice of that years ago. She wasn't sure why Alex called her it. Maybe it was because of the few year difference between them. But, it was Piper's favorite thing.

"I really love you too" Piper grinned.

Alex felt her phone buzz; signalling the real world snapping back into their heads. They shared another kiss before Piper slipped away to continue straightening her hair. Alex stood up and pressed the answer button before putting it to her ear.

"Hello?" She asked.

"An inmate from Litchfield Penitentiary is trying to contact you, do you accept?" The automated voice asked.

That sent chills down Alex's spine. She had zero clue who could have her number from in prison. But just hearing that fucking automated voice message sent shivers down her spine.

She walked behind Piper; placing a hand on her hip. Her lips gave a small goodbye kiss to the younger woman as she mouthed a quick 'have a good lunch' and exited the bathroom.

"Yes" She replied as she grabbed her bag; walking out of the apartment.

It took a second, but the phone then made the pick up noise and the prison sounds were heard. No voice on the other end thought to introduce themselves or even greet Alex. That just pissed her off.

"Hello?" She asked a bit harshly as she walked into the elevator.

"Uh, hey" The nervous voice shook.

"Who is this? How did you get my number?" Alex asked; pressing the bottom floor button.

"It's uh, this is Alex right?"

"Yes, now answer my question"

"It's Eliza" Those two chilling words sent a fear down Alex's spine.

Her own younger sister was in Litchfield calling her. The questions wondering how she got her number left her mind entirely as the realization her younger sister was in prison hit her. The elevator doors opened and she found herself slowly walking out; at a loss for words.

"Eliza," Alex said. She nodded to herself as she gained sense of what was happening. "The fuck you doing in Litchfield?" She asked a bit harshly.

"Well I heard you've been hear before so it sounded so nice that I decided to come check it out for myself" Eliza snarled. "What do you think? I got arrested"

"No shit you got arrested, but for what?" Alex ignored the first remark.

"It's a really long fucking story. Let's just say mom was right. Dad is a fucking deadbeat piece of scum" Eliza spoke. "Can you visit me if I get you on my list?"

Alex took a deep breath in as she heard the question. She didn't want to go back to Litchfield where the riot was and everything that was in her past. But, this was someone she had done so wrong her entire life. The least Alex could do was go visit her and see what happened with their father.

"Yeah, I can. How did you get my number?" She asked.

"That's not important, let's just say I got a shot" Eliza chuckled. "I'll let you know soon though. Thank you"

And just like that, the line was hung up and Alex was left standing by the front desk of the apartment building looking lost. She stared at her phone; wondering if that call seriously just happened.

The elevator doors opened with a ding and she heard feet walked towards her. But, Alex just kept staring at her phone.

"Alex?" Piper asked. That caused her to snap her head up. "Thought you left already"

"I didn't give you a proper kiss goodbye" Alex lied; kissing the blonde softly.

"Bullshit" Piper said as Alex pulled away. "What's going on, Al?"

"Just, my place is destroyed. Nicky said her and Morello fucked" Alex lied.

"Get your stuff then and move in here with me until we find a place" Piper said. "They're the ones who destroyed it, let them clean it" She added with a laugh.

"Yeah" Alex chuckled.

"Well I gotta go, I'm serious though. Get your stuff and come back to my place" Piper said; giving a kiss to Alex again before leaving the building.

Alex nodded and followed her out of the building. She looked around; putting her black sunglasses on to shield her from the sun and the world. Her eyes turned back to watching Piper disappear into the taxi that quickly joined traffic.

The woman pulled her phone out and quickly hit Nicky's contact. She started to walk towards the subway as the phone began to ring.

"Hello?" A raspy voice asked.

"Hey, is my apartment trashed?" Alex asked.

"Well uh, it isn't particularly the cleanest place I've seen but it ain't Hoarders either. How come?"

"Morello and you we're alone" Alex laughed.

"We were, we were. It was interesting to say at least" Nicky chuckled. "But what about blondie's parents aye?"

Alex knew by the little amount of words Nicky gave her that Morello and her had been busy the last few days. She knew not to press too hard onto that subject because Nicky was easy to piss off in that area.

"I'll tell you about that when I get back," Alex laughed. "But, I just got a call from Litchfield"

"The fuck? Why?" Nicky asked.

"My sister is an inmate there. She wants me to come visit. So when I tell you I'm leaving, do not tell Piper"

"Uh, okay. What the fuck? Since when did you have a magical sister and why the fuck am I playing secret keeper?"

"Since my parents decided one night stands were fun and because I really don't want her to go with me. She still has nightmares from there. I'm not telling her because then she'll insist on going. You know what I mean?" Alex asked.

"Alright, yeah. Poor kid doesn't need anymore trauma when she's already talking about marrying you"

"Funny, I'll be back in a few. At least clean up a bit" Alex said.

"I, I, captain" Nicky replied.


	15. Visits

The traffic was heavy due to a car accident a mile down the road. The black haired woman let out a heavy sigh as she put the car in park temporarily; knowing she won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Red was nice enough to loan Alex her car so she could go down to Litchfield herself with no taxi fees.

Nicky, Red, and Lorna all knew that Alex was going down to Litchfield. But, Piper was completely in the dark about it. Alex knew it was for good reasons. But, she still felt guilty for lying about where she went.

It wasn't helping the argument the two of them just had yesterday as well. Alex moved in about a week ago into Piper's apartment and Piper was acting a bit stand offish. Which is never like the blonde to act, especially with Alex. So, Alex had pointed that out. Instantly it sparked a bad cord between them.

FLASHBACK

"Piper," Alex began. "What's going on?" She asked.

"Hm?" Piper hummed; turning to look at the woman from her stand in the kitchen.

Alex was leaning against the kitchen doorway. Her arms crossed against her chest with her glasses resting up on her head. She scanned Piper's body like she always did. But this time it was to see if Piper was acting stand offish.

"When I moved in I figured you wouldn't be so stand offish" Alex said.

"I'm not" Piper lied.

"Pipes, something is going on. Can you just tell me?"

"Nothing is wrong, Alex" Piper stated.

"Do you not want me going to this bar lender's class tomorrow?" Alex knew that question would get Piper talking.

"I never said that-"

"But you're acting like that's what's going on"

"I just," Piper began, but took a frustrated sigh. "Who called you the other day?"

"I get calls almost each day, mostly scammers"

"No, that made you rush out of the bathroom when I had lunch with, Cal" Piper said.

"I told you, my aunt called"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Well, she said she was my aunt so I'm pretty sure" Alex chuckled.

She hated lying to the woman. She really just wanted to tell Piper it was her sister and she was going to Litchfield tomorrow. But, instead she was giving her this bullshit lie so Piper wouldn't worry. Her mother would kill her if she knew she was using her grave as an excuse.

"Why are you so worried?"

Piper was silent from that question. She looked down and away. Her hand moved up to run through her hair as she other was leaning on the counter. Obviously something was bothering her that she was struggling to keep down. Alex could tell even if she was trying to keep it under wraps, she wanted to say it.

"Just tell me" Alex pushed.

"You acted like you used to" Piper looked up; meeting Alex's eyes.

Alex was silent for a bit. She was pondering what Piper could have meant by that. The woman analyzed that moment over in her head. She was caught off guard by the Litchfield monotone voice recording, but she still seemed as if nothing was wrong.

"What?" Alex asked.

"When we were together and living together. We would have moments like that and each time it was your phone, you'd rush out like that" Piper seemed quiet as if she was scared of starting something that neither of them wanted.

Alex took a deep breath and looked away from the blonde. Guilt dropped in her stomach at the memories of those moments. They had so many fights over it at the time. But, it was Alex's job. As a drug dealer, she had to take those calls.

Yet, she understood why Piper became so frustrated. Small moments where they were just making out or just being in each other's presence were disrupted back then so often. Then after that, they were together in prison where they only had stolen two minute moments a day basically. Not to mention going into maximum made their moments never really there.

"But I'm not dealing anymore, Piper" Alex settled on a reply after a few moments of silence.

"Yes, I know that. But it still just.." Piper shook her head. "It brought it back" She said.

"So you want me to move out?" Alex asked; attitude covering her emotions.

Alex never liked feeling past emotions run through her. Especially from such a time where she felt guilt from. Guilt ran over her pain any day when it came to that time period. Pain ruled for prison memories. Guilt ruled for their first few years together.

So feeling the guilt run through her, (with added guilt of lies), just made her pissed off about this all.

"Never said that, Alex"

"But if I get a phone call, are we going to keep having this issue?"

"Okay, no. That's not what I meant"

"Then what did you mean?"

"This is why I never even wanted to tell you"

"Why?"

"Because I knew you would act like this!"

"You're the one remembering bad memories just by a stupid phone call!"

"You are so unbelievable sometimes, Alex" Piper said as she began to leave the room.

"So do I-"

"No! You're not moving out. I'm just going to bed!" Piper yelled.

"My phone didn't ring, you can stay in the kitchen!" Alex yelled back.

"Fuck off!" Piper yelled with a door slammed shut.

END OF FLASHBACK

Alex and Piper shared a small kiss goodbye. But, not their usual one. It was tense and Piper knew Alex was lying. She just wasn't sure what it was about. What Alex hated more is that she knew Piper knew. But, couldn't find it in her to confess.

She didn't want Piper with her for this. For one, it was at Litchfield. A place Piper still struggled with nightmares from even if she wouldn't admit to it. Alex had caught onto it a few nights ago when Piper kept jumping awake.

Alex would wake up herself from Piper's rude awakening or she would have to wake Piper up herself. She had tried talking to Piper, but the blonde was shutting down on the subject. So, Alex just made sure to hold her closer each night and never bring her back to Litchfield.

Also, she wanted to do this herself. Alex had played the scenario in her head on how she can apologize for who she was. The woman treated Eliza like shit for so long. She had regretted it more then ever the last few years. So even if she wasn't sure the reason Eliza wanted her to visit, she was happy she'll get the chance to apologize.

Her phone started to buzz in the cup holder beside her. Piper's smiling face lit up the screen which caused another tug at Alex's gut. She really hated this lying thing. Part of her was wondering if she should just say something and tell her the truth. But, she didn't want Piper worrying about her at Litchfield.

She lifted the phone and hit answer before putting it to her ear.

"Hey, Pipes" Alex used the nickname. "What's up?" She added.

"I don't know" Her voice sounded stressed. "I guess I just didn't say happy birthday enough" She said.

Alex chuckled at that. Even with the argument they left on, Piper was still upset Alex had to leave on her birthday. Alex tried to brush it off, saying it was nothing. She would use excuses on how Piper hated her birthday, so it was fine for Alex to. But, Piper had none of it.

She kept telling Alex about how this weekend would be all about her for her birthday. At first she said that it would be about her the moment she got home. But, then both of them remembered the restaurant.

Piper had gone back to work today after her two week break. The entire week would be Piper working basically. That was also a reason the stressed voice that Alex heard hinted it was about the restaurant.

"Sounds more about work then my birthday" Alex chuckled.

"I just, this restaurant used to run so smoothly" Piper said.

"Are you able to pay the bills?" Alex asked.

"Oh yeah, financially everything is fine. But it's the work and my head cook is fucking stuff up left and right and-" Pjper cut herself to take a sigh. "I want to go home to see you there"

"You know I'll be back by late tonight"

"I have to be up at five"

"I'll be home around three if you planned my trip times correctly. But, I'm stuck in traffic at the moment. Doesn't look like it's going anywhere"

"Great, just fucking great" Piper grumbled.

"I'm sorry, kid" Alex sighed.

Piper was silent for a second. Alex heard the commotion in the background. Two of the kitchen workers were yelling at each other and instantly, Alex knew Piper was in her office that was off the kitchen. She heard the sigh from her girlfriend before she yelled something out.

"Zack! Get your kitchen in order!" She yelled.

"My kitchen?! How about you get off your ass and straighten them out?! Oh wait, why would I have a lesbian straighten a kitchen let alone a restaurant out?!" Zack yelled back.

"Oh is he fucking serious right now?" Alex asked. "Fire that asshole"

"I'm not head cook, Zack!" Piper yelled back before Alex heard the office door slam shut. "It's not that easy to just fire someone, Alex" She said. "I'd have to find someone else that's experienced and that can run a kitchen well and will get along with everyone"

"You're in Brooklyn. There's a shit ton of people in that city" Alex pointed out.

"I just, I'm not sure I can afford to take that hit" Piper sighed. "I'm sorry, this isn't how I planned spending your birthday"

"Neither did I" Alex said.

"I wish you didn't have to leave.." Piper said.

That tone of voice punched Alex in the gut. All the memories of the phone calls they shared when Alex was traveling sounded like this. Piper had this sort of pathetic tone to her voice. It longed of missing the woman she loved and especially when she needed her most.

"I thought we would be done with this shit.." She added.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked.

"The traveling and never seeing one another.." Piper replied.

"It's for one night. More a day then anything. I'll just be home late tonight" She pointed out.

"That isn't my point, Alex!" Piper snapped.

"Then what is, Piper?!" Alex snapped back.

"Nothing, nothing at all. I need to get back to work" Piper said.

"I have to go anyway, traffic is picking back up" Alex said.

"Good" Piper said.

"Great" Alex replied in a sharp tone.

"Have a great birthday" Piper said.

"Oh with your attitude sweetums' it'll be easy" Alex snapped back.

"Love you" Piper muttered.

"Yeah, you too" Alex said before the call was ended.

The black hair woman sighed; tossing the phone back into the cup holder. She started the car once more as traffic was actually picking back up. Alex knew that was a petty fight. But she also knew it was just because Piper was stressed out and Alex was letting anger win over to protect her from the guilt.

Cars slowly started to move inch by inch. Alex put the car in drive to join in with traffic moving. If Alex knew anything, driving down the next few hours to Litchfield would most likely just increase the overthinking about Piper and her. She just hoped seeing her sister would get her mind off of it.

Alex was sitting in the Litchfield parking lot for visitors. The prison had changed most definitely. They had torn the once pre riot walls down and built the post riot ones up. So it wasn't exactly the same, but it was still Litchfield Penitentiary.

She had been sitting here for the last ten minutes. Visiting hours only had an hour left. So, she knew that she had to go in before it was too late. The woman just couldn't stop thinking about how this could easily go bad. Her sister could bring up their past and on how Alex basically abandoned her after their mother's passing. Or it could go okay and they could be on somewhat good enough terms. But, she just had to go in to find out.

Alex got out of the vehicle; slamming the door shut and locking it behind her. She walked across the parking lot and to the sidewalk where a CO stood. He wasn't paying any attention to Alex. It was mainly just staring off into the distance.

"Uh, hey. Where do I go for visitation?" She asked.

He quickly looked over and Alex felt fear rush through her. Maybe this was too soon to return here. The woman never discussed it much, but she knew she was mentally scarred from the experience she had in prison. From breaking her arm to mental breakdowns she had. Prison was no doubt the hardest time in her life.

"Just through that door and to the front desk. They'll guide you from there" He smiled.

"Thanks" Alex nodded and continued walking.

She began to panic a bit more as she got to the front doors. All she had to do was get inside and get this over with. Then she could have the closure she needed. She doubted Eliza would want Alex to keep visiting anyway.

So as she opened the door and was welcomed to the faint sound of the TV and chatter, she knew there was no turning back.

"Can I help you?" The CO at the front desk asked.

"Uh yeah, I'm here to visit my sister"

"Name?"

"Mine or hers?" Alex asked which earned an annoyed sigh from the CO.

"Her's"

"Sorry," Alex muttered. "Eliza Vause" She said.

"Vause" The CO snickered before just writing something down. "Take off any thing metal or whatever such as phone, belts, keys, wallet over there and go through the metal detector" She said.

Alex nodded and walked over where another CO stood on the other side of the metal detector. She put all of her stuff in the small little tray before walking through. He then patted her down quickly before explaining that her stuff would be up front to collect before she left and that she couldn't take it back.

"Here's your visitors pass" He said; placing the sticker on Alex's shoulder. "And I'll escort you down the the visitor area"

She nodded and started to follow him down the hall. No sounds of the prison were heard from here which was a relief to Alex. She wasn't sure if she would be able to handle hearing the noises of inmates.

But, the hall was still narrow and felt secluded. It felt like a prison felt. Nothing existed on the outside and the more time in, the less you feel like you belong out. Alex felt she had no place on the outside at some points. She never wanted that feeling back.

"Right here" He said where another metal detector was before you walked into the visitation room.

She walked through and was patted down again before they allowed her to sit at one of the tables. Luckily the room only had four other people visiting, so it wouldn't be too loud.

"She'll be right out" The CO spoke.

Alex sat down while nodded. She played with her hands nervously; her knee bouncing. Reality had set in now. She was about to see her sister who she hadn't seen in years. The last time Alex saw her, Eliza was in her teens. She was about in her late 20s now.

She wondered how much she had changed, or maybe she didn't change at all. Questions began to run through her mind. Did she finally give in and start wearing glasses yet? Did she forgive Alex? Why was she asking Alex to visit. But then her questions were cut off when the chair across from her made a noise.

Alex had been too busy looking down at her hands that she never even realized someone had walked over. Quickly she looked up to see the younger girl standing there.

Her hair was to her shoulders and had the same dark brown their father had when he was young. Her glasses sat on the bridge of her nose. They looked like the ones Alex had around that age. Her lip was a bit busted up and bruises showed on her skin. And to really make Alex wonder what happened, she was in the prison uniform.

"You talk or?" Eliza asked.

"Still a little sarcastic huh?" Alex relayed.

"So you can talk" Eliza said as she sat down across from her.

Both were silent before Alex spoke up.

"So you look uh-"

"Like shit?" Eliza asked. "Thanks for pointing that out" She added.

"What happened to the lip?" Alex asked.

"I don't know, meth heads" Eliza shrugged.

"Why did you call me up here?" Alex asked.

"Can't a girl just miss her loving sister?" Eliza asked more in a teasing tone. As if this was just a play for the words she was going to actually speak. "Her loving sister that abandoned her after their mom supposedly passed"

'There it is' Alex thought to herself.

"Listen, I'm sorry. I really am. I was so fucking stupid and-" Alex cut herself off. "Supposedly?" She asked. "What does that mean?"

"Oh did I forget in our phone call to mention that yeah, mom's not dead" Eliza sounded annoyed.

"What did those meth heads do to you?" Alex asked. "Because she's de-"

"Why would I make this shit up?" Eliza threw her arms out a bit. "She visited me last month. She keeps asking about you-"

"And that's why you got me up here?" Alex chuckled. "Okay, I was planning on apologizing here and making amends. But if you're just going to be immature and sick kid about this, then fuck you"

Alex started to get up to leave the prison. She was already emotional enough from the idea of being here. She didn't need this sick little game adding onto it. But, then her sister spoke.

"She knows about Piper and how you two are still together. Also how Piper was in prison with you. And she knows you're a bar tender in Brooklyn" Eliza spoke.

Alex looked back down at the girl. She was giving her a look of 'I know, but I'm not lying'. Alex knew that Eliza wouldn't be able to know that stuff because she didn't tell her. So what was happening was beyond her, but she sat back down in her chair.

"Who the fuck are you?" Alex asked.

"Eliza. I'm your sister, sadly. But mom has been keeping tabs on us. She told me not to tell you, but I had to. It wouldn't be fair. She's planning on visiting me next week and I'm going to tell her I told you and gave you her number" Eliza said.

"Why?" Alex asked. "I thought you hated me-"

"I'm not your number one fan. But, I don't hate you either. Even if I did, I wouldn't hide this from you. She's more your mom then anything"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex asked.

"You knew her longer and your relationship was better. I'm just some fuck up kid from a one night stand-"

"No, yes, but no" Alex said. "I should have never treated you and made you believe that. I mean, you're from a one night stand yes. But, you're not a fuck up kid. A fucked up kid would never tell me this" Alex said.

"Well here's her number" Eliza said and gave her the piece of paper.

Alex was silent as she scanned the digits over. She wanted to freak out, but she knew by the look on Eliza's face that she needed to talk about this. This being the whole prison issue.

"How long you been in here for?" Alex asked.

"So far a little over two years. I have a few months left. Dad got me in here"

"How?" Alex asked. "And why did you just call me? You should have called sooner"

"It was a set up at one of his shows. I dealt for him a lot because I couldn't hold down any jobs. Well one night he told me some guys wanted to buy and he needed me to sell. I had stopped selling actually weeks before that," Eliza informed. "Mainly drug addiction issues, but I don't want to discuss that. But anyway, yeah, I had stopped dealing. So I told him no, we argued for awhile over it. The cops raided the room and he blamed it all on me, got his friends to do that as well" She explained.

"God, he is such a fucking piece of shit" Alex shook her head.

"He commented on my tits too-"

"He did for me too" Alex nodded.

"Gross" Eliza muttered.

Both were silent for a bit before Alex spoke up again.

"What job couldn't you hold down?"

"Cook," Eliza said. "Apparently cursing a lot and insulting people who can't even properly cook a burger is frowned upon" She shrugged.

"And you're out in a few months?" Alex asked.

"Yeah?" Eliza said more in a questioning tone.

"Piper owns a restaurant and she's looking to replace a head cook. Maybe if she doesn't choose someone I could refer you to her when you get out" Alex suggested.

"Who is this, Piper?" Eliza asked.

"My uh, my girlfriend soon to be fiancee" Alex said.

Eliza was silent for a second before cursing under her breath.

"What?" Alex asked.

"I lost a bet, I didn't think you were actually gay"

"Who did you bet with?!"

"Mom.." Eliza looked down; feeling a bit defeated.

Alex just laughed at that. She knew her mother would do something like that. She won money wherever she could and something so simple like that would definitely be something she would do.

"So she really is alive?" Alex asked and Eliza looked back up.

"Yeah, I'll let her explain why she faked her own death" Eliza nodded. "Oh and happy birthday by the way"

"Thanks, how did you know it was my birthday?" Alex asked.

"Because," Eliza chuckled. "Mom made such a big deal of your birthday each year growing up. How could I forget when it was your day?" She asked.

"She did make a big deal of it huh?" Alex asked.

"Well I mean, we had a trampoline in the apartment that one year"

"Oh that was a disaster"

"It was" Eliza nodded. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything"

"Why didn't she make a big deal of mine?"

Alex was silent at that. She knew their mom favored Alex. It was always like that. She wanted to talk to her about that one day, but then she passed away so Alex never had the chance. But, as Alex got older she wondered if her mother resented herself when she saw Eliza. She hated the fact that their father never stayed in a relationship with her which Alex knew. But, she wondered if that was why.

"I'm not sure" Alex sighed; raising the glasses to sit on her head.

"I just, I don't get why she's seeing me and not you" Eliza said. "As a kid, I was the outcast of you two. It was like I was never even there some days you know?"

Both were silent as Alex didn't know exactly what to say right now. She felt horrible about their past. But, she didn't know how to justify any of it.

"And I'm only saying this now because I doubt I'll see you again-"

"You're seeing me again, trust me" Alex nodded. "I'm going to make this right. I regret ever being that awful to you, Liz. I just, I was so mad dad didn't stay and instead he just dropped you off basically and said 'that's your problem' then left" She explained. "If I could change the past, I would"

"Alex, I appreciate it" Eliza nodded. "But, I'm not apart of your family. You and Diane, the moment you two start talking I know she'll forget I exist-"

"I'm not going to let her. If anything I'm going to get answers on why she was like that to you" Alex cut off.

"Don-"

"I'm going to" Alex said.

"Visitation is over in five minutes! Wrap it up!" A CO yelled.

"They never ever get more friendly" Alex mumbled.

"No, they don't" She sighed. "I should go" She said.

"Well I'll give you a call soon. I'm not sure when I'll be able to come back down to visit. But, I'll make sure to" Alex said as both of them got up.

"Don't worry about it" Eliza shrugged as she got up.

"Call whenever, I mean it" Alex said.

Eliza just nodded and both felt the awkward tension drop in the air. Neither were sure the proper way to say goodbye, but luckily a CO decided to call visitation over early. So both had to say a quick goodbye and go seperate ways.

Alex walked down the hall towards the entrance where she had walked in. She was proud of herself for being able to return to Litchfield to do this. But, everything in her was feeling guilty for leaving Eliza behind.

She grabbed her belongings and signed out of the prison. Her phone had a few messages from Piper. So she read them as she walked out to the car.

Pipes: Hey, I'm sorry. I'm just super stressed. I hope everything is going okay. I'll try to stay up for when you get home.

Alex: Babe, it's okay. Go to bed. You need to be up tomorrow for work. I'm on my way home. Love you.


	16. Take It All

Alex stumbled up stairway; getting to Piper's apartment. Well now, their apartment. Alex was still getting used to the move. Not that she wasn't happy with it. The woman was happier then anything to be living with Piper again. Especially now that they weren't in prison living together.

They had their own place now. Even if they were still looking for somewhere else to live that was closer to both of their jobs. But, they still had their own place together. Just knowing she was going home to Piper made her feel amazing.

She unlocked their apartment door and opened the door to hear the faded sound of the TV. Alex shut the door behind her; putting her keys in the bowl on the table that was by the door. She slipped her shoes off and made her way towards where the TV was coming from.

In the living room there was one lamp on and the TV playing Friends. She smiled softly seeing Piper still loved this show. The woman always made Alex watch it back in their early years together. Alex wasn't a big fan, but she wouldn't lie saying she thought Rachel was hot.

She peered her eyes over to the couch to see curled up was her girlfriend. Her knees curled up to her stomach as her head rested on her hands. Piper's bangs were covering her face a bit; the rest tied in a messy bun. Alex checked her stomach to see if her breathing pattern was steady. She had caught onto that habit since she started realizing Piper's nightmares.

If Piper's breathing pattern became rapid in her sleep, she knew something was wrong. So she would slowly wake her up a bit before Piper scared herself awake.

Alex grabbed the fleece blanket that was on top of the couch. She laid the blanket over the woman; tucking it in so the woman wasn't cold. A smile formed on her face as Piper stirred in her sleep a bit.

"Alex?" Piper mumbled; her eyes slowly blinking open a bit.

"Hey" Alex said; crouching down to be eye level with the woman. She used her finger tip to move a piece of her hair out of her face.

"Did I fall asleep?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, think so, kid" Alex chuckled.

"I'm sorry, I was trying to stay awake for you" Piper muttered.

"Babe, it's almost three in the morning and you have work. I wouldn't expect you to" Alex said.

"I wanted to" She mumbled.

"You want to come to bed with me or sleep on the couch?" Alex asked.

"You know that reply" Piper said causing a husky chuckle to escape Alex's lips.

"I do" Alex said as she pushed herself back up to stand on her feet.

Piper slowly got up; instantly holding onto Alex for support as she got to her feet. Alex slipped an arm around her waist; pressing her lips to the top of her head. She gave the woman a small kiss before they started to walk to their bedroom.

Alex trailed behind her; turning the lights that were left on off for the night. She turned the TV off behind her; putting the remote back down on the coffee table.

"Al?" She heard Piper's sleepy voice in the hallway behind her.

Alex turned to see the woman in her work clothes; leaning against the wall. Her arms folded against her chest as she looked at the older woman in the dark. The only light source was from the city and the light in their bedroom.

"Yeah?" Alex asked.

"Want to take a shower?" She asked.

Alex chuckled a bit before responding. "You have to sleep for work, Pipes"

"I didn't shower like I was supposed to when I got home" She said. "And I would rather with you. Plus, I didn't get to celebrate your birthday like I was supposed to" She said.

"You're going to be exhausted tomorrow" Alex said.

"I'm going to be exhausted anyway" Piper said. "Just, come on" Piper said as her hand found Alex's.

The blonde started to lead Alex to the bathroom. Alex usually would never let someone take her hand and pull her away like this. But, Piper could do almost anything and Alex would be okay with it. She always had that affect on her since the day they met it felt like.

Piper turned the bathroom light on and Alex shut the door behind them. Neither said a word as they started to slip into their usual routine. Piper started the shower; getting it to the temperature they both felt best in. Alex put out towels and set the bath mat down on the floor.

It felt easy to both of them. They knew this routine so well that words didn't have to be exchanged. Both usually never wanted that in their younger years. Alex feared the normal life routine and Piper dreaded being stuck in a normal life routine. But now, they wanted it together. As normal as they could possibly live that is.

They knew when tension happened between them, it could snap to something more quickly. They had always been like that. People had told them that was toxic and not a good relationship. But at the end of the day, they loved one another so much to ignore all that.

Even if everything else wasn't ideal to having a good relationship. Even if everything they did probably wasn't a good choice or maybe they weren't good at making decisions. They both knew they had one thing they could never mess up. And that was, sex.

Both knew when it came to making love, they had it down perfectly. They knew exactly where hands were supposed to be with no words. Alex knew the way Piper liked to be dominated, but sometimes she liked to be the dominant one herself. Piper knew Alex loved when Piper would moan her name on repeat with a string of curse words.

Sex never failed for them. Except that one time where empathy ruined their 'hate sex' streak. But, they eventually just fell back into their normal sex routine even in prison.

Piper got in first after she had taken off her work clothes. Alex following her pattern soon after. When she got in, the closed the shower glass door and let her eyes fall back to Piper.

"I'm so going more blind each day, I swear" She muttered as her glasses weren't on so it was a bit fuzzy. "But good thing I have everything memorized" She winked.

Piper just let a soft laugh escape her lips; feeling Alex's arms wrap around her torso. She wrapped her own arms around Alex's neck; resting them on her shoulders. Their lips quickly found one another to share a lingering, sleepy kiss.

"And even if I do go blind, I still will be able to fuck you the way you deserved to be fucked" She whispered causing Piper to feel shivers run down her body.

"How so? Muscle memory?" Piper teased.

"I've been making you scream my name for years, of course I have that shit memorized, Pipes" Alex chuckled.

"You make that sound like it's a chore"

"Mm, if that's what chores are now then I want chores every second of everyday please"

"If that's the case, you can do dishes tomorrow-"

"I meant making you scream my name"

"I'll scream your name if you don't because I've been doing dishes each night-"

"I'm assuming not in my favorite tone?"

"No" Piper grinned as she saw Alex chuckle.

"Them maybe I should make you scream my name in the best tone" Alex whispered; pressing Piper up against the tiled wall.

"It's your birthday, shouldn't I be making you scream"

"It is" Alex nodded; placing a kiss on Piper's lips.

"But the only screams I want to hear is from you.." A kiss planted on her jawline.

"..screaming my name.." Another kiss planted on her neck.

"..so loud you wake the whole city up.." A kiss planted on collarbone.

"They'll call the cops on us, Al" Piper gasped; feeling Alex's lips move down to her left breast.

"Not like we've never been to prison before" Alex teased; kissing her right breast. "I think we could handle it" She added before slowly making her way down.

"You sound so sure" Piper said in a steady breath.

She felt Alex's hands slowly roam down her hips as she left kisses all over her stomach. Alex's face was getting closer and closer to Piper's core; causing her to grow more aroused by the second.

"Mhm" Is all Alex replied as her lips began to leave kisses on her inner thighs.

Piper knew from the small response Alex was just focusing on making her feel good. She let her head rest back against the wall; her eyes falling shut to focus on the way Alex made her feel.

It's been years and everytime they do this, Piper felt all those same emotions. The nerves crawled up her spine and tied knots in her stomach. It felt like her and Alex were making love for the first time all over again. Even if that wasn't the case at all.

Alex's lips ghosted over Piper's core. They brushed against her skin; causing a shot of lust course through her veins. It felt like hours of teasing, but finally Alex was making love to Piper like it was her job.

The way her tongue danced around Piper's clit. Her fingers teased at her opening before plunging in; pounding quickly but then slowing down a bit. She knew the rhythm Piper loved, and she hit it perfectly each time.

Minutes later, Piper's body tensed up. The whimpers started to appear and a mutter of curse words were heard under her breath. But then, Alex's favorite part started to happen.

"Alex.." Piper gasped. "Fucking hell, Alex!" She gasped once more.

After a few more thrusts and licks, Piper came undone. She released onto the woman's fingers with a cry of Alex's name. She repeated it like a mantra. That made Alex just grin like an idiot to herself as she slowly let the woman ride her orgasm out.

"Again?" Alex lifted her head to look up at the woman. She was still crouched down; her fingers still slowly thrusting in and out.

Piper opened her eyes and slowly looked down to see Alex grinning. It was that smug grin that always made Piper roll her eyes with a smile. She bit her lip; nodding softly.

"Happy birthday to me" Alex grinned like a fool before going back to making love to the woman.

"Happy birthday, Alex" Piper gasped; feeling all those feelings stir up once more.

FLASHBACK

"Do I look fine?" 22 year old Piper turned to the older woman. Her hands nervously playing with one another.

"You look fine, babe. She's going to love you" Alex, 26, chuckled at her girlfriend's nervousness.

They had only been together a little over a year now and Piper was meeting Alex's mom for the first time that night. The two were going to the home Alex grew up in for dinner. Piper had been stressing about this night all week.

"And just think, least one of us can do the whole 'meeting the parents' thing" Alex said.

Piper had returned to face the mirror, her back to Alex. But, their eyes met in the mirror reflection. Alex hated that Piper had only told her best friend about her. A girl named Holly of all people. Or maybe it wasn't Holly. Either way, it annoyed Alex to no end.

She didn't just want to be a fling or expierement for Piper. Over the course of the last year, it had been a whirlwind of emotions. The woman went from seeing a potential new drug mule to bringing someone home to meet her mom. She was bringing Piper into her home, literally.

Alex kept her mom's house a kind of safe space. As much as she felt like a loser thinking that, it was. It's where she went for a peace of mind. It's where she found herself in the most vulnerable state. So bringing Piper there was a big step. One of the biggest steps Alex would take in life.

"I'm sorry, Al" Piper sighed. "They just, they're not your mom"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex asked.

"They wouldn't approve" Piper shrugged. "Not of us, the job, any of it"

"But what does that matter? As long as your happy-"

"They don't care, Alex" Piper said. Her voice stern and trembling. "They only give a shit about their look and reputation. They're already slowly disowning my brother. It would only be a matter of time before me and meeting you as my girlfriend would push them to kick me out entirely"

Alex sighed; standing up from sitting on the bed. She just nodded and lowered her glasses back down to sit on her nose. Her feet walked up behind Piper; letting her hands grasp the woman's lower hips.

"I'm going to start the car. We don't want to be late" She whispered; kissing the woman's cheek before walking out.

END OF FLASHBACK

Alex woke up the next day pretty late into the morning. It was almost noon when she finally got herself out of bed and into some decent clothes for the day. Most of the morning was spent in bed over thinking about everything in her life. From just her relationship with Piper and how she didn't deserve the woman's love at all. To how her mother was still alive.

It was more the second thought that Alex couldn't stop thinking about. Her mom was alive. After all these years of mourning the woman's sudden death, she was alive. The one big question Alex had was what anyone in this situation would have. It was, why?

Why would Diane lie and fake her own death? What did Alex do so bad to make her do that? Alex knew Diane didn't approve of her job. But, what kind of mother would? She just never thought Diane would go this far and do something like this.

Alex looked at the phone number sitting on the balcony table. The phone was being shuffled back and forth between her hands. All she had to do was call. She could even hang up if she wanted to.

After all, this could have been a sick joke her sister was playing. Maybe she just was getting payback for the way Alex treated her growing up. The woman wouldn't of blamed her. But, it didn't hurt to try.

So, she dialed in the numbers from the sheet. One by one, slowly and carefully so she didn't mess up. Once all ten digits were there and ready to go, Alex knew it was now or never. And with that, she hit the call button.

It started to ring after a second of silence. Her heart thumping harder with each sound of the phone ring. After about five and a half, a voice picked up.

"Hello?" She asked.

Alex was silent.

"Hello? Who is this?" She repeated.

Alex knew it was Diane. Her voice sounded the same, just a bit older and raspier. She had zero clue what to say, how to feel, or what to do. Her stomach tugged at her heart strings which caused some tears to escape her eyes.

"Who is-"

"It's Alex" Alex's voice trembled.

The other end of the call was silent. Alex had heard a small gasp, but then it was just silence for a minute.

"Alex.." Diane spoke. "How did you..what?"

"Eliza. I visited her and she gave me your number. She didn't explain how the fuck you're alive, but-"

"Knew she couldn't keep her mouth shut" She muttered.

"Why should she?" The words came out a bit forced and strong. "You're my mom too after all!"

"I know, I know" Diane repeated. "I just, I didn't know how to approach you. I still don't-"

"So you just never were going to?"

"I was" Diane said. "Can we meet up for a late lunch today? I'm in Brooklyn right now for some shopping"

Alex stayed silent. She wasn't sure if she was ready to meet her mom for lunch and seeing her in person. The woman was already planning on going to Pearl's to surprise Piper anyway.

"I was actually going to Pearl's toda-"

"Yes! I'll meet you there. I've heard good reviews on that place. See you at one" And just like that, the phone call ended.

Alex put the phone down on the table before taking her glasses off. She rubbed her face and then ran a hand through her hair. This was extremely not the way she expected her day to go at all. Plus answering to Piper on seeing Diane alive was going to be a little weird. But, she knew she had to do this.

Alex was sitting at the back table; nervously bouncing her leg as she waited for Diane. The woman was avoiding Piper at all costs. Which was a little difficult when she was the owner of this restaurant. But, luckily she was just in her office today to pay bills and figure out money issues.

She looked around; seeing the place was a bit busy today. People were laughing and waiters rushed around delivering food or taking orders. Her mind moved from being worried about Diane to being proud of Piper.

Alex hadn't really been inside of Pearl's. She was once, but rushed out too scared to see Piper and that was it. So, she never got to see the full affect of what Pearl's was. It was a fancier type restaurant, but not too fancy.

It had good business that came in. Almost each table was filled up. She now realized why Piper came home so tired like she did. It must be hard keeping up with a restaurant this busy especially when her staff is giving her an issue.

"Right here, mam" The hostess smiled.

Alex looked up and saw the now older, fragile, looking woman standing by the table. Her once black hair that only had gray tips was now full on silver. It was still long; down past her shoulders. Her face that was once young looking now had wrinkles. She now also had glasses resting on her nose. The outfit was still the same style she always had. Casual, yet, a punk rock look. The black leather jacket was covering up the blue long sleeve shirt. Black jeans and a pair of black sneakers. Alex felt as if she was looking at her future self.

"Mom?" Alex asked. Her voice sounded small and weak. She hated it. "Is it you? Like, really you?" Alex stood up as if that would help knowing.

Diane chuckled before responding. "Well the fucking stretch marks and scars I have from birthing you tells me yes, I am your mother"

Alex couldn't help but laugh herself. All the confusion and anger she had felt was melted away. She knew she missed her mom. Hell, anyone would. But this reminded her so much of how badly she had missed her.

Alex couldn't help herself any longer. She threw her arms around the now shorter woman; hugging her tightly. Diane quickly hugged her daughter back with the same strength. The woman shut her eyes; trying to not cry. But it was hard hiding a secret this big for so many years and missing out on so much. Not to mention the pain she must've put her daughter through.

"Let's sit" Diane was the one to pull away after a few minutes.

Alex just nodded as she sat back down across from her mother. She fixed her running mascara in her phone mirror before putting her phone back down, taking a sip from the water she had ordered.

"Have you been here before?" Diane broke the silence.

"Uh yeah, I know the owner" Alex nodded.

"Really? How so?" Diane asked.

"It's uh.." Alex pondered if she should lie or not. But before she could speak, her eyes caught the blonde walking out from the kitchen.

Alex hadn't seen Piper since the early morning hours in the shower. Piper had gotten out first to go to bed after she washed herself off. Alex then stayed in the shower to wash up herself. By the time she got out, Piper was fast asleep. And Piper left early for work way before Alex woke up that day. So, she hadn't seen her today until now.

The blonde was walking over to another table with a waiter. She seemed stressed as she tried to fake the most politest greeting ever. Alex hoped Piper wouldn't see her. Then again, hoped she did so Alex wasn't alone with talking to Diane.

"Hi! My name is Adam, I'm your server today" Adam introduced himself to Diane. "Can I get you something to drink"

"Oh yes! Do you have Coke or Pepsi?" She asked.

Alex tuned out the rest as she saw Piper begin to walk over towards their area of tables. The woman knew there was nothing to be worried about, but she still felt all those same nerves since the moment she walked up to her. Piper always had the affect of making Alex feel butterflies by just walking into a room after all these years.

"And for you?" He asked Alex.

"I'm fine with just water" She said.

"Food wise?" He asked.

"I'm fine, not hungry" Alex said.

"What? Don't think the food here is any good?" Piper's voice spoke up behind her as the waiter walked away.

"Heard the owner is a pretty shit one" Alex slightly turned her head with with a smirk.

Piper playfully smacked her head causing Alex to just laugh in response.

"Watch it" Piper said. "This owner can easily kick you out. Here and wherever you live"

"She would never" Alex finally looked up to see Piper standing beside her. Her hand leaning on the back of Alex's chair.

"Watch her" Piper grinned. "Who's this though?" She looked over to the older woman.

"You don't recognize me?" Diane laughed.

Piper's eyes narrowed in confusion for a second. She knew the laugh, but couldn't place who it belonged to. She let her eyes wander from the woman to Alex. Alex just gave a weak smile and somehow, Piper knew from that smile who it was.

"Oh my-" Piper cut off. "What? How?" She looked back at Diane."Is it seri-"

"Oh would you just shut your trap and hug me?" Diane laughed as she stood up.

"Yes! Yeah, sorry" Piper laughed a bit as she hugged the woman. "It's so great to see you" She said.

"Same with you" Diane smiled as Piper pulled away. She then sat back down as Piper went back to leaning on Alex's chair. "Words can not describe how happy I am to see you both still together. I was worried you two wouldn't find a way to ever make it work especially with Alex's travels and all sorts"

The two nervously chuckled at the words. They shared a knowing look that Diane knew so little of what the two had been through. It would be a lot of catching up on in the next upcoming days.

"I'll be honest when I say that it's surprising to see you two together at all. Especially after Alex's trip to prison too" Diane glared her eyes at her daughter.

"So, you know?" Alex asked.

"I do," Diane nodded. "I wasn't pleased with the news but-"

"I wasn't pleased with the news of your death, but yet here we are" Alex snapped back.

"Alex-"

"I'm going to go back to my office. I have paperwork and all sorts to figure out. I'll see you at home tonight" Piper said as she gave Alex a quick kiss. "It was great seeing you, Diane" She said before quickly walking off.

"She still isn't good in family tension huh?" Diane asked.

"Well, not the greatest at it, no. But she did stick out prison with me even after she learned I got her in there so," Alex sighed. "She's tougher then she used to be. Don't tell her I said that"

"Piper was in prison with you?!" Diane exclaimed. "Alex, why would you-"

"It's a really long story, but that can be for another day. I think the story that needs to be told is where the fuck you've been for over the last decade"

Diane nodded as the waiter put her soda down that she ordered. She gave him a smile and said thank you before taking a sip from it. The woman then nodded once more before thinking of where to start.

"I'll start off from the beginning, that a good place?" Diane asked.

"Sounds good" Alex nodded.

"I was diagnosed with brain cancer when you and Piper were in Italy. He gave me a few months to live and at the time, it seemed that would be the answer" Diane began. "I was going to call you and let you know, but I never could. I didn't want to put you through anything like that. Watching me die sounded like the worse thing I could put on you"

Alex felt her heart breaking a bit. The idea of watching her mother slowly die from something so horrible made her feel anxious and upset to no end. Part of her was thankful she never got to witness it. At the same time, the past couple years had been difficult without her mother.

"So I figured, get it over with. I faked the death so you and your sister had a funeral to go to for closure"

"But, okay" Alex sighed. "I don't want to say this at all. But why fake it? Why didn't you just take your life?"

"I thought about it" Diane bluntly said. "But, I had a few things I wanted to do before I died. So I traveled to a few places, saw your father once more at his show. By the time it was a month away I saw the doctor and for some fucking reason, the tumor was able to be removed surgically. I got the surgery done, moved in with your aunt, and well now I'm here"

Alex nodded; understanding what the woman was saying. But at the same time, she still had questions.

"Why didn't you find me?" Alex asked.

"I mean, I kept tabs on you and your sister. But, I never found the guts to find you. I figured you would be angry and I didn't want to hurt you more then I did. I really regret that choice" Diane sighed.

Alex nodded; feeling all sorts of mixed emotions. But, she realized that she should be happy she has her mother in her life again. Even if it isn't how she ever expected it.

"I hope you can forgive me" Diane said.

"Of course I do. You came back from the dead. That's a ticket out of anything" Alex said causing Diane to laugh.

"I mean, of course I know that" She said causing both of them to fall into a soft laughter.

The conversation from there kept going on. Alex gave Diane life updates on how she was a bar tended. How she lived with Piper in a nice apartment. And how she even reconnected with her sister.

"Eliza," Diane sighed. "Yeah, she's her father's through and through"

"What's that mean?" Alex asked.

"Well, I always thought you had your father in you. The tough act and the well, traveling job" Diane jumped around the words for being a drug dealer. "But after seeing Eliza, I know you're just like me" She said.

"She's pretty tough" Alex said.

"Very. I've been trying to connect with her ya' know? Like the connection you and I have. I want that with her. I want that for all three of us. But, she's just so tough. That's the only word I can think of"

"Well, Mom" Alex began. "...What do you expect? You treated me better then you ever did with her. She still resents you for it. And I'm not just blaming you because I didn't treat her well either. Just, you're our Mom. You're supposed to be the one to make it known how we're yours"

Diane was silent before speaking up. "Like I said, she's her father's. I resented your father so much the years I was raising her. I saw him in her and it just ignited this anger inside me. I regret it. Truly, I do. She just won't accept it"

"Well she's in prison right now. She's going to be angry about everything"

"She put herself there, you both did"

"I'm aware. But, it still doesn't change anything" Alex said.

"No, it doesn't" Diane said and her phone went off. "I gotta' run. I have a friends art show to attend"

"Well you should come over for dinner this week"

"Alex-"

"Piper would love to catch up with you and come on, it's funny watching her try to cook like you. You've missed that, you gotta' admit" Alex chuckled.

Diane put the money down on the table with a slight chuckle.

"You did pick a good one there, Alex" She smiled. "Piper is a wonderful person. I have missed her"

"She's missed you too" Alex said. "Plus, she'll tell you more about me since you've faked your death then I have"

Diane was silent, but with a smile. "Send me the address and time, and I'll be there"

"Sounds good" Alex said; leaving money out herself before standing up.

They shared another hug before saying quick goodbyes. Diane left the restaurant and Alex made her way through the tables, people, and kitchen before she found herself opening the door to Piper's office.

"I told you, I'm busy"

"You don't even have time for me?" Alex faked an innocent secretary type voice as she played with her hair.

Piper snapped her head up and couldn't help the grin grow on her face. She put down the pen and leaned back in her seat before speaking.

"The submissive secretary thing doesn't work on you, it would work on me though"

"Oh really?" Alex went back to her normal voice; shutting the office door behind her. "What fucking makes you think that?"

"Because, look how cute I am" Piper propped her chin up onto her hand. "See works better for me" She grinned.

"Whatever" Alex rolled her eyes; sitting down in the chair across from her. "My mother will be coming over for dinner this week"

"Words I never thought you would day again"

"Tell me about it"

"How did she find you anyway?"

"Tracked me down" Alex lied, still not wanting to tell Piper about going to Litchfield. "I'll have her tell you at dinner why she faked her own death and all"

"Yeah," Piper nodded; playing with the pen in her hand. "You okay?"

"If I'm being honest," Alex took a deep breath. "It's a lot to take in. Feels like a dream"

"That's understandable though"

Alex just nodded in response.

"Chinese tonight?" Piper asked.

"You read my mind, Chapman" Alex put a smile back on. "I'm gonna head home. I'll order Chinese when you're on your way home. Just text me when"

"Sounds good" Piper said; watching the older woman stand up. "I'll be here, drowning in paperwork"

"So Chinese and a massage tonight?" Alex pointed with a smirk.

"Mm, how did I get so lucky?"

"Because you carried the drugs" Alex laughed as she opened the door; knowing that sentence would annoy Piper.

A groan was heard behind her; calling her name out. But Alex just said a quick love you before shutting it and walking out the back door to leave.


End file.
